United Solar Ovonic expanding in Greenville

Greenville - United Solar Ovonic is announcing a significant expansion in Greenville, adding four more production lines to the company's two local plants.

[No job in Greenville]

And this will help...how? I'm out of unemployment, gas per gallon is almost to the minimum wage, United Solar expects you to pass a difficult test.
Greenville needs more than United Solar.
I am educated and can't get hired by them...not the right education. Moving out of state or applying for welfare looks like the only solution. Goodbye, Greenville..goodbye, Michigan...will the last person to leave, please turn out the lights?

[Baruch HaShem]

Now this is great positive news, not just for Michigan, but for our nation as well. Alternative energy is our only light at the end of the tunnel, along with a change in life style. The first alternative energy will force many Americans to think twice before exceeding the speed limit, or ignoring traffic laws. Alternative energy will be much easier to act upon, then changing some Americans life style.
We also need to get off the food vs fuel programs, stop ethanol fuel now before we continue to hurt the food supplies for others, remember we are a small percentage of the worlds population. But we use more then our share of the natural resources.
God Bless America.

[slg]

I think it bites that so many have had to leave this town and or state, but I think this is fantastic for the town. It's a start. If it has to be taken in steps like this, then it does, anything to help this community.

I would love to see them focus on the north end of town. Bring in a Lowe's, Home Depot and or Menards into the old Meijer building. And instead of building condos, apartments or some sort of housing complexes at the old Frigidaire place, to put something there that would bring people into the community preferably something for families. We do not need anymore places for people to live.

We need to remember that we are not the only town in the state of Michigan that needs help. It usually takes 5 steps back to go forward eventually.

[slg]

t.own is the censored word in my post. Good grief topix, you really need to correct that.

[Shamma-mom]

Thank you United Solar for bringing in jobs. We'll take whatever we can get.

[TDJensen]

No job in Greenville wrote:

And this will help...how? I'm out of unemployment, gas per gallon is almost to the minimum wage, United Solar expects you to pass a difficult test.
Greenville needs more than United Solar.
I am educated and can't get hired by them...not the right education. Moving out of state or applying for welfare looks like the only solution. Goodbye, Greenville..goodbye, Michigan...will the last person to leave, please turn out the lights?

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Otherwise, do what you need to do to get a job and quit belly-aching.

[montcalm mom]

I don't know that this really helps much. United Solar is only hiring people with 4 yr and master's degrees, and even then, it is a grueling interview process. Most people looking for jobs in this area are not college educated, or do not have degrees in science-related fields.

[Fed Up]

Why do you people need to complain about everything? Can't you be happy with what is coming to Greenville? This town has been rocked so hard by the economy and Electrolux but you want everything to be given to you. Realize that United Solar could have decided to build elsewear but didn't, realize that they are bringing money and jobs to an area that hasn't seen growth in years. If you don't have the right training, get it. The days of a high school diploma getting you the dream job in a factory are over. Either deal with it or move somewhere else. Just quit complaining when something happens that helps other people in your situation. Oh since you cant pass the interview process, just let us know where you want to work and then we can write a company and see if they will hire a bunch of whiners. Grow up and start living in the real world. Im sick of everyone complaining that Greenville needs more than this, Greenville needs a willing and able workforce that is thankful when something does come along.

[Fed Up]

t.own is a naughty word

[From Greenville]

The problem in Greenville is that many of the old Electrolux employees do NOT have a formal education past high school. Many were hired in because "Daddy" worked there, or "Uncle Joe" was a foreman, etc. No interviews, no resumes, no online applications or drug tests. They were hired w/ a handshake and a smile, and probably assumed they'd work the rest of their lives there. Many of them are now out of touch with the changes and advances that have happened when it comes to job hunting. I've seen first hand what these people go through - they can't type, can't write a resume, and have no idea that jeans & a t-shirt are not proper attire to get a job nowadays. Many were offered training and turned it down - so now they want to b---h and moan because they can't get hired? Whose fault is that? I'm glad that they are bringing in more jobs and expanding - surely it won't cure the economic woes of Montcalm County, but it's a nice start!

And, I agree - the north end of town needs SOMETHING besides oil change places & the theater! Put a Target in the old Meijer building (heck like THAT would happen) or add another strip mall with a larger variety of stores (Deb, Rue 21, Dots, Lane Bryant, Bath & Body Works, etc). There are NO real places to 'shop' in Greenville (besides Walmart & Meijer) for anything!

[slg]

Fed Up wrote:

Why do you people need to complain about everything? Can't you be happy with what is coming to Greenville? This town has been rocked so hard by the economy and Electrolux but you want everything to be given to you. Realize that United Solar could have decided to build elsewear but didn't, realize that they are bringing money and jobs to an area that hasn't seen growth in years. If you don't have the right training, get it. The days of a high school diploma getting you the dream job in a factory are over. Either deal with it or move somewhere else. Just quit complaining when something happens that helps other people in your situation. Oh since you cant pass the interview process, just let us know where you want to work and then we can write a company and see if they will hire a bunch of whiners. Grow up and start living in the real world. Im sick of everyone complaining that Greenville needs more than this, Greenville needs a willing and able workforce that is thankful when something does come along.

Actually, it was just one here complaining. The rest of us are thankful for it. ;)
Your post was well said though. I do agree. It's great for this community and just because this is coming to t.own, doesn't mean a person is just going to walk in and get a job, they have to work and earn it. The same for anything in life.

[slg]

Fed Up wrote:

t.own is a naughty word

Quite silly, huh.. censored me, too. LOL

[gemini]

This is absolutely fabulous

[yourekiddingrigh t]

montcalm mom wrote:

I don't know that this really helps much. United Solar is only hiring people with 4 yr and master's degrees, and even then, it is a grueling interview process. Most people looking for jobs in this area are not college educated, or do not have degrees in science-related fields.

Where did you get the idea that they only hire people with a 4-year degree or better? I'm sure they require that for upper management positions... but do you really think that everyone who works there has a 4-year degree?

[slg]

Job postings.. http://www.uni-solar.com/interior.asp...

[JeremySaysTheTru th]

The jobs brought to Greenville by United Solar do not fit the demographics of the surrounding area. United Solar would have been more welcomed in area's like Ann Arbor, Lansing, metro Grand Rapids or Detroit.

These are area's with people who carry the education and experience needed to fill the positions of United Solar. I'm sure that United Solar is employing most of its work force from other area's and not just from Greenville.

[fed up]

I highly disagree with the fact that United Solar would be more welcomed somewhere else. Greenville is a great place to be, and we are happy that they chose our community to better. They could have easily went somewhere else but they didn't. Education is not an issue, yes some of the jobs require a 4 year degree but some don't. You can't expect everything handed to you, I have many family members who were displaced when Electrolux left. But they didn't just sit around they took the help and went back to school to better themselves and to help them in the grand scheme of things. Anyone can learn to type and write a resume but you have to be willing to accept change and realize you aren't going to be handed a good paying job without working for it.

JeremySaysTheTruth wrote:

The jobs brought to Greenville by United Solar do not fit the demographics of the surrounding area. United Solar would have been more welcomed in area's like Ann Arbor, Lansing, metro Grand Rapids or Detroit.
These are area's with people who carry the education and experience needed to fill the positions of United Solar. I'm sure that United Solar is employing most of its work force from other area's and not just from Greenville.

[JeremySaysTheTru th]

fed up wrote:

Education is not an issue, yes some of the jobs require a 4 year degree but some don't.<quoted text>

You are wrong. If you look at their website, every job they have posted requires a degree AND previous experience. Like I said, Greenville alone cannot provide the education and experience that United Solar is searching for.

[fed up]

I know people who work there with a 2 year degree from a community college, and the only experience they have is landscaping. Don't pretend to know what you are talking about just so people think you are smart... it's not working.

[JeremySaysTheTru th]

fed up wrote:

I know people who work there with a 2 year degree from a community college, and the only experience they have is landscaping. Don't pretend to know what you are talking about just so people think you are smart... it's not working.

What is your degree in?

I have a M.B.A. in economics from Harvard Business School, minoring in political science. I don't pretend to be smart, I am. In addition, I am originally from Greenville, so I know the demographics pretty well. I would estimate that 75% of my high school class ended up at Electrolux, Vertis, Graphite or GTD after graduation. No college, right to work.

Also, I wouldn't call Montcalm Community College a real school. I've been there and it's more difficult to transfer to a top ten M.B.A. school than it is to become Miss America.