On Wednesday afternoon, 19 high school students took turns signing up for their future at the Southeast Career and Technical Academy.

Kyle Snyder, left, 18, and Sergio Guerrero, 17, show their work in preparation to their future jobs working in Tesla’s Manufacturing Development Program starting on August, at Southeast Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Alexis Sanchez reacts after signing his intent to work for Tesla’s Manufacturing Development Program starting on August, during a ceremony at Southeast Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Chris Reilly of Tesla's workforce development and education Programs, speaks to students during a ceremony for graduating seniors to sign their intent to work for Tesla’s Manufacturing Development Program starting on August, at Southeast Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Wednesday, May 23, 2018. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

On Wednesday afternoon, 19 high school students took turns signing up for their future at Southeast Career and Technical Academy.

They wrote down their names, put on a baseball cap with a bright red “T” and smiled for the cameras.

The celebration was modeled after a signing day for athletes, but these graduates weren’t agreeing to play for any sort of team. They signed a letter of intent to begin working full-time for electric carmaker Tesla as production associates. The graduates will begin work at the Tesla Gigafactory in Storey County east of Reno in August.

The Clark County School District is helping Tesla grow its local workforce. Under the terms of an estimated $1.3 billion tax incentive package the company received in 2014, at least half of Tesla’s employees must be Nevada residents.

In 2014 Tesla estimated it would need 6,500 employees in the Gigafactory by 2024. As of last September, according to the latest company audit released in April, the Gigafactory project had 2,417 workers, 1,636 of whom worked for Tesla.

‘Accelerate our mission’

The company plans to hire about 50 high school students annually through its work-based learning initiative.

“It’s really huge,” said Kerry Larnerd, director of career and technical education for the school district. “This is a program designed to make sure kids get the job skills they need to really be a contributing member to a skilled workforce.”

Reilly said this program is unique in that graduates have the option to simultaneously receive formal postsecondary education in automation and robotics at Truckee Meadows Community College.

This is the manufacturing development program’s second year, following a pilot that hired 13 graduates. The company made plans to extend the program after receiving positive feedback from the original hires.

“This really helps us accelerate our mission,” Reilly said.

Batteries for Tesla products, including its first mass-market vehicle — the Model 3 sedan — are produced out of the Gigafactory. Tesla CEO Elon Musk initially said his company would be producing 20,000 Model 3s per month by the end of 2017. In its first-quarter earnings report, though, the company said it has produced 9,766 so far this year.

Valuing skills

With population and business growth in Nevada booming amid a low unemployment rate, Kyle Dalpe, dean of technical sciences at TMCC, said businesses in industries like manufacturing are finding it more difficult to find local residents looking for work. In turn, more employers want people with a certain skill set, as opposed to a degree, he said.

“There are so many jobs available, but there’s no solid pipeline because so many people are working,” he said. “It’s an anomaly.”

With more workers able to skip an initial educational period and head straight to the workforce, Tesla is given a much larger hiring pool. The company said it has a diverse candidate pool from about 40 percent of the state’s high school districts.

It’s important to make sure new and existing companies in Nevada have a workforce of qualified employees available, Larnerd said.

“There are manufacturing companies in Las Vegas, and there are companies coming to Las Vegas. They need to come here knowing there are employees who have basic skills and advanced technical skills, which is what this program is offering,” she said.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.

This story has been updated to clarify the the time period of the April audit.