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 The Skilled Trades Training Fund (STTF) provides competitive awards for employer responsive training that enhances talent, productivity, and employment retention, while increasing the quality and competitiveness of Michigan’s businesses.
TMD Machining, located in Plainwell, services the aerospace and medical industries in the US and overseas. Receiving a $21,000 STTF grant helped in their challenge to find new employees with the skills needed as well as upskill incumbent workers in the new technology available to help their company to grow and keep customers satisfied. Solar Vacuum training was provided to four employees to treat TMD’s own materials and cut down on outsourcing (pictured). CAM Software Training and CMM training was also delivered, which allowed employees to become more proficient in programming TMD's machines.
"Change in technology is inevitable, and without upgrading your equipment and the training on the equipment, you can quickly fall behind in this industry. Thanks to Michigan Works! we are now able to grow with the industry and grow as a company. What I have found most valuable about partnering with Michigan Works! is that since June we have acquired ten employees through the workforce system and they are still with us today," added Cody Stringham, Human Resource Manager.
For more information about the STTF please contact skilled@michigan.gov, or to speak with a Michigan Works! Business Services Representative about the availability of funding in your region please refer to the STTF Key Contact.
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Michigan is the first state in the United States to receive approval from the German Chamber network for the alignment of its company consortium based apprenticeship training program to German standards. The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. notified the Workforce Development Agency that the State of Michigan’s Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT2) mechatronics curriculum meets the German regulations regarding “Vocational Training for Mechatronics Technician” adapted for use in the United States, according to the guidelines of The Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, DIHK), the umbrella organization of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce.
This validation is given by the German chamber network to training programs aiming for certification to German standards outside of Germany. This designation was made possible by the hard work and commitment of MAT2 employers and colleges in Michigan. The first group of MAT2 mechatronics students took part in Part One of the mechatronics certification examination in August 2015. This is a rigorous examination including practical demonstration of skills learned at their employers and while pursuing associates degrees at local colleges. Part Two is scheduled for summer 2016. After students successfully complete both examinations, the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. will grant the MAT2 mechatronics graduates a certificate to German DIHK standards at the end of their apprenticeship in 2016.
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 The Workforce Development Agency is looking for event “Partners” and “Sponsors” to assist with employer recruitment for the last 2015 MiVirtualCareerFair event on Wednesday November 4, 2015 from 10 am - 4 pm EST. Partner and sponsor organizations can be Michigan Works! service centers, chambers, educational institutions or other membership based organizations. Organizations that obtain 5-9 employers registrations (event Partner) and 10+ employers’ registrations (event Sponsor) will be highlighted in our marketing materials. While we make no promises on types of promotional coverage, in the past we have seen great success with coverage across; radio, press, print, television and social and professional media.
Use the link below to register for the event and find specific messages and information for employer registration and promotion.http://www.michiganvirtualcareerfair.com/. Specific questions can be directed at Jessica Scott, Departmental Analyst with the Workforce Development Agency, State of Michigan, scottj21@michigan.gov
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Three projects in Michigan were awarded American Apprenticeship Initiative funding from the United States Department of Labor: a joint partnership between Macomb Community College and Grand Rapids Community College; a broad regional partnership in Southeast Michigan led by the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance Michigan Works! Agency; and a dynamic community -ased organization effort led by Focus: HOPE in Detroit.
Macomb and Grand Rapids Community Colleges were awarded a $3.9 million grant to fund the Michigan Apprenticeship Program Plus, or MAP+, which “will target apprenticeship pathways in Information Technology and manufacturing occupations. MAP+ will register a new apprenticeship in Digital Sculpting, an area with growing hiring needs in the auto industry, and will work with Federal Financial Aid to find innovative ways to leverage funding to create more apprenticeship opportunities,” the White House said in the grant award announcements. 600 apprentices will be served through MAP+.
The Southeast Michigan Community Alliance in Taylor was awarded a $4 million grant to lead the Advance Michigan Center for Apprenticeship Innovation project. Funds will be utilized to establish or expand apprenticeship programs responsive to the evolving technical needs in the high-demand, new-age automotive and transportation sectors [advanced manufacturing/intelligent transportation]. This Advance Michigan Center for Apprenticeship Innovation project will serve 853 participants.
In Detroit, Focus: HOPE received a $3 million award to aid four new apprenticeship programs, expand three existing programs and promote career pathways through education during apprenticeship. Focus: HOPE’s programs will serve 300 apprentices in the advanced manufacturing and information technology industries.
For more information and access to detailed project summaries about the three grant awards please visit: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ETA20151762.html
Several areas in Michigan will benefit from a $5,000,000 award to the United Autoworkers-Labor Employment and Training Corporation based in Cerritos, California to develop new and modify existing Registered Apprenticeship programs in advanced manufacturing industries for automobiles, trucks, defense vehicles, and independent parts manufacturers and suppliers. 1,000 new apprentices will be served in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Tennessee. The areas in Michigan that will benefit most from this award include: Dearborn, Livonia and Saginaw. Several local workforce boards and community colleges are program partners.
Jobs for the Future, based in Boston Massachusetts received a $5,000,000 award to conduct a next-generation Industrial Manufacturing Technician hybrid manufacturing Registered Apprenticeship. Michigan State AFL-CIO Human Resources Development, Incorporated (HRDI) is a major partner of the project. The project will serve 1,450 new apprentices throughout 7 states and 5 counties in Illinois around Chicago. Potential apprentices from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will benefit from these opportunities.
Two additional grant award recipients plan to include Detroit in the areas their grants are serving. The Electrical Training Alliance National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee in Maryland received $4,779,700 to serve 1,000 new apprentices at 13 electrical training centers in major cities located in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Also, Managed Career Solutions, Incorporated in Los Angeles California received $2,974,070 to serve 300 new apprentices in the Biotechnology, Health Information Technology, and Information Technology industries. Detroit is involved as a “national target market” along with Baltimore and St. Louis.
The Workforce Development Agency and Michigan Apprenticeship, Internship and Mentoring (MI-AIM) partnership created a new gateway for Registered Apprenticeship information in Michigan. Please visit: www.michigan.gov/miaim to reach the site. These vibrant web pages feature important information on Registered Apprenticeship fundamentals, how to become an Employer Sponsor of Registered Apprenticeships, plus some tools, guides, and resources available to support Registered Apprenticeship in Michigan.
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Earlier this year, the Workforce Development Agency and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation launched a campaign to bring more awareness to skilled trades occupations and opportunities in Michigan. Part of this campaign included a website: www.mitalentconnect.org/skilledtrades as well as a series of videos by Tom Daldin and Mike Rowe featuring skilled trades occupations. The site provides career information as well as general industry knowledge and is categorizes into different age segments: K-5th grade, 6-12th grade, and Parents and Educators. We are looking for YOUR ASSISTANCE to review and provide feedback and recommendations on the relevancy and effectiveness of this campaign.
Please CLICK HERE to download the feedback request and form. All information should be submitted by Thursday October 15 to the email address indicated on the document.
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 Earlier this year, the Workforce Development Agency and the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives together envisioned a tool that partners and customers could use to get official, high-quality labor market and demographic information in an accessible, attractive format. For this phase, efforts were concentrated on occupations, industries, clusters, and regions.
Check out the new Fast Facts Portal here: https://dmbinternet.state.mi.us/DMB/DTMB_blmisi/home.aspx.
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Detroit Regional User Group Meeting
October 8, 2015
SAE International - Automotive Industry Training Networking Group
October 23, 2015
Filling the Manufacturing Skills Gap with Technology & Automation - Educational Seminar
October 28, 2015
Center for Energy Workforce Development National Forum and Annual Summit
November 4-6, 2015
Design and Manufacturing Alliance Fall Conference
November 6, 2015
Michigan School Counselor Association Fall Conference
November 15-16
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