Chongzhi Qiu (Frank)

CRRC MA, a U.S. rail car manufacturer headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, has been awarded transit rail car contracts from Boston’s MBTA, Los Angeles Metro, Philadelphia’s SEPTA. CRRC MA has established two manufacturing facilities in the U.S., including a $95M investment in Springfield, Massachusetts and a $40M investment in Los Angeles, California. CRRC MA located the corporation’s North American manufacturing facility in Springfield due to its rich history in manufacturing and the City’s openness to partnership building through education, vocational training and job creation. As a result of CRRC’s significant investment and growth, CRRC MA’s workforce comprises 320 employees. The manufacturing facility in Springfield employs 258 employees, including 177 union production employees. The Springfield workforce is underway with manufacturing 404 subway trains for the MBTA. The commitment to local employment and vocational training of the workforce remains priority. As a result, all new-hire assemblers participate in a training program for the duration of their qualification process. Massachusetts is the first state in the U.S. to have a registered Apprenticeship Program in rail car manufacturing. CRRC MA has partnered with Springfield’s MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board and sheet metal and electrical unions 7 & 63 on the execution of a state approved Registered Apprenticeship program for mechanical production worker training in rail car manufacturing. The 1 year program for apprentices seeking careers in rail car manufacturing at CRRC MA Corp is equivalent to 2,000 hours of technical training and is combined with 150 hours of related technical instruction provided by the unions. With the return of manufacturing to Springfield, these jobs are career opportunities complete with a competitive wage package.