Toyota and Mazda announced that they would be opening a joint assembly plant in the United States. They announced that the project would cost around 1.6 Billion dollars and create 4,000 jobs. For months the decision was between Alabama and North Carolina, but according to news sources, Alabama has officially been picked for the project.

The Toyota-Mazda plant will be a great opportunity for high school students. Toyota has worked with local high schools in the past to provide teenagers insight into job opportunities at Toyota. This informs students on the education they need for different jobs they may have interest in. Opening a new plant will give teenagers a better opportunity to for recruitment into manufacturing jobs at Toyota.

The plant is believed to have great economic benefits for Alabama. It’s projected to produce 300,000 cars per year and the number of jobs the plant creates from construction and operation could lower the unemployment rate in the state. These factors have the potential to cause Huntsville’s population and economy to grow.

Student Christine Tran said,“ I believe that this plant will be great for Huntsville. It will open many jobs and give high school students more opportunities to pursue careers that they may have interests in. The sooner the plant opens the better.” Christine thinks that the plant could be great for graduating high school students. She also believes that construction should begin as soon as possible. The plant is not expected to be producing vehicles for a couple more years, but even the construction will create many jobs in the area.

The plant still isn’t expected to start rolling out cars until 2021. Only time will tell if the Toyota-Mazda plant has positive effects in North Alabama.