I confess that I don't know much about the local car industry, or what kind of people that their hire for their Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. All I have heard is that the Korean owners of these places expect a lot of hard work, long hours, and the pay isn't great. But then the Koreans complain that Americas are lazy. I wasn't really thinking so much about the car industries, but of other companies that rely on an educated workforce, reserch, services etc.
But you right, Auburn and Opelika are in a prime location to attract jobs.
The schools everywhere aren't crap. When I lived in VA, the public schools were highly rated and produced a number of national merit scholars every year. But that is because of a high concentration of well educated parents who demand more of the schools and the educators than they do here. I'll bet if you went to Huntsville, you would find better schools. My two step grand-daughters went to school there and were in very good programs. Then they moved to Mississippi and they were at the very top of their classes. In fact, one of my step-granddaughters is graduating this year at 16.
I understand that CACC is considering expanding into some other programs - like marine maintenance and engineering but I don't know when or if that will happen. With regard to Auburn's Hospitality program - they may have always had one, but the one that is there now is much expanded - about a year ago, it was in all the papers and they invested a lot more money into it. It's a growing career - and not just in Alabama.