Mexican engineers takes full advantage of Tesla hiring event in Monterrey

Engineers from throughout Mexico streamed into a cramped hotel lobby in the industrial city of Monterrey for an opportunity of a job with the U.S. automaker Tesla Inc, which is looking south of the border for skill in short supply at home.

The fair was held at a fragile time for American companies hiring abroad as President Donald Trump examines immigration rules for bringing high-skilled foreign employees to the United States, part of a “buy American, hire American” policy.

Tesla, which is itself “Made in America”, had set up interviews with an unidentified number of Mexican candidates on Friday and was slated to evaluate other prospective workers over the weekend at the closed-door event.

The automaker is hiring in the United States’ next-door neighbor for work on robotics and other automated equipment at its Fremont, California factory, where it intends to build 500,000 vehicles a year by 2018, a six-fold boost from last year. The factory will construct Tesla’s upcoming Model 3.

Mexico boasts a considerable pool of skilled manufacturing engineers, with 19 vehicle plants owned by international automakers consisting of General Motors, Ford Motor, Fiat Chrysler Vehicles and Volkswagen.

A stable tide of hopefuls showed up at the event unannounced and without an appointment, some having traveled hundreds of kilometers, incorrectly believing it was an open recruiting fair. Few dozen were turned away.

Tesla provided a quick explanation about the mix-up, stated those being talked to were frequently already weeks into their application procedures, and directed them to email their resumes, as per more than a dozen mechanical, mechatronic, electrical and chemical engineers that Reuters talked outside the event.

Representatives from Tesla head office in California and recruiters in Monterrey refused to discuss the event or the company’s working with strategies in Mexico. Press reporters were accompanied off the premises by security.