• Battery Boost program teaches locals battery manufacturing skills – 397 graduates enter the NextStar Energy workforce.
• NextStar Energy invigorates the region’s battery ecosystem in partnership with the community.

As NextStar Energy—an LG Energy Solution and Stellantis joint venture— pioneers mass battery production in Canada, a skilled battery workforce has become essential to Canada’s battery industry. In partnership with Invest WindsorEssex, NextStar Energy developed Battery Boost, a specialized training program to up-skill workers entering the battery manufacturing industry. Its success was recently celebrated at a media event on November 13, with local business and government leaders, held at the Invest WindsorEssex Automobility and Innovation Centre. During this event, Danies Lee, CEO of NextStar Energy, announced that 397 Battery Boost Technical Training Program graduates are now employed at its fully operational Windsor battery facility.

On December 11, 2024, Battery Boost was established to boost local employment in the rising battery manufacturing sector. To date, the Invest WindsorEssex–led initiative has received over USD 3.8 million in funding from Upskill Canada, Palette Skills, and the Government of Canada.

To ensure an industry-leading curriculum, NextStar Energy provided technical expertise and insights based on its battery manufacturing experience. Over four weeks, Battery Boost participants receive foundational instruction in battery production and advanced operations training. The program also blends classroom-based learning with virtual-reality (VR) simulations, powered by the VR lab at Invest WindsorEssex’s Automobility and Training hub.

Since its February launch, 397 of 408 Battery Boost graduates have joined the NextStar Energy workforce, achieving an outstanding 97 percent employment rate. Among them, 99 percent of graduates entered the program with no prior experience in battery manufacturing or technical work.

During the event, Lee introduced a video featuring two NextStar Energy shift leaders, who shared their personal experiences and insights into the program. Nick Maceroni, a shift leader in the notching and drying department, discussed the importance of Battery Boost for individuals from non-technical backgrounds, stating: “I joined NextStar Energy without any knowledge of batteries and energy storage systems.”

Ann Kramer, a shift leader in the roll press department, praised the program’s extensive curriculum, which she credits with instilling immense confidence in her understanding of the entire manufacturing process. “The Battery Boost program covers everything from material sourcing onward, giving us the tools to excel in various roles across the plant,” she said.

Through education, NextStar Energy’s Battery Boost is not only building a highly skilled workforce for Canada’s first gigafactory but also strengthening the region’s battery ecosystem in partnership with the community.

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