As the Gigafactory began to rise from the desert, Tesla founder Musk was vocal about whom he wanted working in it. A track record of “exceptional achievement” was his chief qualification.
"There's no need even to have a college degree at all, or even high school," Musk — a college dropout himself — told the German publication Auto Bild.
"If somebody graduated from a great university, that may be an indication that they will be capable of great things, but it's not necessarily the case.”
One reason he’s optimistic about Washoe’s programs is that instead of focusing on job training per se, the partnership is capitalizing on hands-on experiences to motivate students to develop the traits and intellectual abilities that will ensure they leave high school ready for college or a skilled career.
As part of its agreement with the state, Tesla agreed to spend $37.5 million on K-12 education.
As people started working in the Gigafactory, the company analyzed the performance evaluations of its most effective workers. What it found was that many had participated in robotics clubs as kids.