By Rebecca Feldhaus
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-891852.mp3
Clarksville, TN – The growing Clarksville looks forward to the completion of the billion dollar Hemlock Semiconductor plant sometime in 2012. Meanwhile, a new Chemical Engineering Technology degree at Austin Peay State University prepares citizens for possible jobs at the plant. Over one hundred students are already registered for the program. The facility means more than just jobs for the city. Clarksville could usher in a new green initiative for the state.
In the second leg of a three-part series, Rebecca Feldhaus investigates the city's prep work and optimistic outlook.
In a small library on the third floor of the Sundquist Science building, Mark Poe and his classmates work vigorously on their homework. These three, however, aren't the typical college students. Poe is a 47-year-old husband and father who previously worked for a loan company. His classmates are also non-traditional students with families. Poe recently returned to Austin Peay State University for what he says is an intriguing new degree.
"I think, you know, with the Hemlock coming here, and the solar industry, it's going to make it an interesting field to be in, plus it will be a growing field being new and everything - with the green technology."
Austin Peay's new associate program is already in high demand. Close to 150 students have applied to the program, which officially starts next fall. The arrival of the behemoth Hemlock Semiconductor plant to Clarksville brings an initial 500 permanent jobs with the possibility of up to 900 jobs later on. With unemployment a constant threat, Poe believes a job at Hemlock is one worth working for.
"What they're telling us, what we've heard and read is they have a very low turnover rate, it's like a 1 or 2 percent turnover. Once people go to work for HSC hemlock, they stay there, they don't want to leave."
Hemlock Semiconductor is an international provider of polycrystalline silicon, an integral part in building solar panels. They've been in business for more than 40 years and have locations in South Korea, Japan and Germany. Currently, the only U-S plant is in Michigan. HSC has already broken ground on the twelve hundred acre Clarksville site, with trucks and bulldozers moving earth daily.
On the surface, this plant is employing Clarksville citizens with what seem like stable, long term jobs. Looking further down the line, this plant will likely spur more growth. Solar panel manufacturers might find it attractive to move their manufacturing centers closer to HSC to cut down on shipping costs.
Tennessee Commissioner of Revenue Reagan Farr is sure of it.
"We have the number one and the number two polysilicon producers in the world, both making the decision to invest over a billion dollars each in the state of Tennessee."
The other giant Farr mentioned is Wacker Chemie, a similar plant to Hemlock that purchased land in Bradley County in 2009. At first, Farr perhaps had more faith than fact. But, after a trip to a national environmental capitalism conference, he was certain.
Farr says there's no one person to thank for bringing Hemlock to Clarksville, because the state, the county, the city of Clarksville and Austin Peay State University cooperated equally to balance incentives to the state with motivation for the company. Like the proverbial four-legged stool, without Austin Peay's efforts, the deal would have been off balance.
In his classroom, Dr. Robin Reed lectures on organic reactions. Reed is part of the search team for Chemical Engineering professors to staff the new program. Reed explains it's not just Clarksville investing in Hemlock. The city seems to be getting as good as it's giving.
"They are providing 2 million dollars worth of equipment that's going into the new facility. They are partnering with us to help us develop our curriculum. They put us in contact with a sister institution in Michigan, and that's Delta College. We then talked to Delta College. They have been a very big help to assist us in our curriculum here."
With the 2 million, Austin Peay is constructing a building on campus to house the new equipment. APSU will seek accreditation through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology as soon as possible. The program will accept about 96 students and Mark Poe is proud to be one of them. While this program is designed to be somewhat of a feeder for HSC, Poe and his classmates aren't guaranteed a job. But, APSU officials are hopeful the program will churn out students desirable to the company.