At KCC, training in manufacturing free to those who qualify

Kathy Jennings | Thursday, March 20, 2014

Programs to prepare people to go back to work are being expanded at Kellogg Community College. And the college is looking for applicants for special manufacturing training that is free to those who meet eligibility requirements.

The program is possible as a result of a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

KCC will use the grant over the next three years to replace and upgrade equipment at the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center and expand a variety of programs in the college’s Industrial Trades and Workforce Solutions programs, which target Michigan’s growing need for manufacturing employees.

The training programs are geared toward the unemployed, especially those whose jobs were eliminated due to foreign trade. Qualified employees whose jobs were lost as a result of outsourcing can obtain free training that may equip them for a variety of production and skilled trades positions.

“This is a unique, employer-driven program in that we are partnering with area employers to ensure the training is aligned with their needs and with job placement for individuals who complete the training,” says Sara Hubbard, director of Workforce Solutions at KCC.

Some applicants can begin a training program at KCC immediately and earn a credential within a few weeks.

KCC can help those interested prepare for high-wage, high-demand jobs that are being created right here in Calhoun, Barry and Branch counties, says Laura McGuire, director of KCC’s Regional Manufacturing Technology Center.

She also encourages companies to send their employees to KCC for advanced training in machining, welding and industrial technology. “Students will earn nationally recognized credentials while learning programming, precision measurement, lean manufacturing and more.”

For more information or to determine eligibility, contact Casey Holbrook, career coordinator at KCC, at 269-565-2804 or here.

Source: Simon A. Thalmann, Kellogg Community College