GM Decision to Contract Out Training Affects Dozen

The decision by General Motors Corp. to contract out dealer-technician training to Raytheon Co. will affect about a dozen employees at its Burbank facility, a GM spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Raytheon plans to take over operations at the Burbank training facility, located at 1105 Riverside Drive, said Gracemary Allen, a spokeswoman for GM in Detroit.

Company officials in Burbank were unavailable for comment. But Allen said the average training center employs five GM workers and seven contracted instructors.

GM workers in Burbank will be transferred elsewhere in the company, Allen said, while contract employees could lose their jobs.

GM training facilities first opened throughout the country in 1954. But GM announced Tuesday that it would close 17 of the centers and that it would reassign 130 workers previously responsible for training technicians.

Under Raytheon, the training centers will be used primarily for instructor training.

In addition, Raytheon will develop computer-based training programs using interactive distance learning and video training, in which technicians can take lessons home and work at their leisure, Allen said.

“Raytheon will assume responsibility for the five regional training centers, including one in Burbank,” Allen said. “The others are Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and New York. We also will keep Detroit as the distance-learning hub.”

Burbank City Manager Bud Ovrom said the change won’t have much effect on the employment picture in Burbank.

“It’s a nice asset to have, but in terms of employment or revenue, it is not a significant player in the community,” Ovrom said.