On March 16, 2023, MCTI held a graduation ceremony honoring the 87 students who graduated in the Winter Term 2022 and Spring Term 2023.

This was the first in-person ceremony allowing students and invited guests - previous MCTI director and guest speaker Paul Mulka - since February 2020. 

We were thrilled to be able to bring this exciting celebration back for our students. You can read more about the event on SharePoint. 

Did you know that all of the Instructional Staff are now full time civil service employees? This shift began in 2020, and came to fruition in 2021. At that time it was also decided that we would go to a more balanced calendar. 

This means there will be four quarterly terms of 10 weeks each, and three weeks between terms to allow for cleaning of rooms, in-service training, and meetings. This also means that our fall term began in July 2022, and summer term will end June 15,2023. The exact dates are listed below. 

2022-2023 School Calendar Summary

• Fall Term: July 11, 2022 — September 15, 2022
• Winter Term: October 10, 2022 — December 21, 2022
• Spring Term: January 9, 2023 — March 16, 2023
• Summer Term: April 10, 2023 — June 15, 2023

Manufacturing Skills Institute has partnered with MCTI Trades Instructor Dave VanHoose, who is offering training for the following three national credentials as part of his Industrial Electronics Program at MCTI. 

• Manufacturing Technician 1 (MT1)
• Manufacturing Specialist (MS)
• Business Certification (BC)

To date 10 students have earned these national certifications. Nationally recognized credentials from MCTI offer our students an even greater opportunity for successful careers after graduation.  

Goal 2— Career Readiness Center—The Career Readiness Center will provide cost-effective vocational assessment, remediation, and support to trade training at MCTI.

Goal 3— CTE Distance Learning—Increase MCTI’s CTE Distance Learning opportunities, and implement a learning management system (Moodle).

Goal 4— CTE Fast Track Programming—Ensure that all CTE program have Campus-Based Fast Track Programming, remedial training integrated into trades.

Goal 5— Workforce Innovation and Apprenticeships—Work with the statewide apprenticeship expansion programs and grant funding for placement. Established professional cook apprenticeships for three MRS customers.

MCTI established a statewide partnership with Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA) and the LEO Registered Apprenticeship team. This resulted in establishing Registered Apprenticeship programs for Journeyman or Journeywoman and Greenskeeper II. 

Registered Apprenticeship programs are also available in the SED! Grounds Maintenance graduates from the Southeast District have an opportunity to work as an apprentice at a local sponsoring company to become Journeyman or Journeywoman, or a Landscape Management Technician.

MRS' first three apprentices under the Statewide Apprenticeship Expansion program, who signed their Registerd Apprenticeship documents at Torch 180 in Livingston County last year, are on track to achieve the outcome of Journeyman Professional Cook.

Pictured, from left: Callan Eschenburg (LEO-WD), Carrie Sutton (LEO-WD), Brian Smith (MCTI), Rhonda Callanan (Torch 180), Tiffanie Clawson (USDOL), and apprentices Shaun Gillespie, Vikram Durci, and Blake Clay.

Despite the delays created by the pandemic, MCTI Culinary graduate, Justin Scripter continued to advocate and persevere in pursuit of opportunities.

Justin began his MCTI culinary studies in January 2022, where he immediately demonstrated a keen eye for detail in every dish he created. Justin’s cleaning skills are impeccable.

During his final term, Justin approached his instructors and support team to advocate for an externship. With supports from his team, he applied, interviewed for and was hired in a sanitation role at Gun Lake Casino (GLC), just north of the MCTI campus. He pursued his driver’s license and the purchase of a vehicle. Within just a couple of months on the job, MCTI worked with HR and the food services staff at the casino to move him into an externship role as a food prep worker.

Justin has worked in food prep at GLC since August 2022 in two of the three casino restaurants, learning and adapting to each menu and kitchen/chef expectations.

“Justin has been there for me when I needed a night prep cook," said GLC Chef Dustin Dexter. "He has gained more experience in his short time with GLC than most new direct hires.”

"My training at MCTI helped me gain general knowledge like knife usage, portioning and safe food handling practices," shared Justin. "I learned how to meet sanitation expectation. I take those methods into my work where it has been recognized at in my current job.”