September 2026 | Oakland80 Newsletter
A Message from Brooklyn Frontiera
Oakland County Michigan Works! Youth Program Coordinator
For seven years, I have had the privilege of serving as the Oakland County Manufacturing Day planning lead. Manufacturing Day is a national initiative that exposes high school students to careers in modern manufacturing through on-site tours, hands-on activities and conversations with industry experts. As I reflect on the past seven years, I think of the 12,000 students that have participated in Oakland County Manufacturing Day since its inception. Not just those who has pursued a career in manufacturing, but any student who was inspired by the hard-working men and women they met during their facility tour.
This Friday, more than 1,000 local students from 23 high schools, including the four Oakland Schools Technical Campuses, will be visiting 32 employers in Oakland County.
This event reminds me how important career exploration events are for our future workforce. The opportunity for students to explore occupations allows them to make informed decisions about their future upon graduation. This event precedes our annual MiCareerQuest Southeast, that takes place at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace on November 17.
During MiCareerQuest SE, hundreds of exhibitors, including many of our Manufacturing Day tour hosts, spend their afternoon with 8,000 high school students from around the region for a day of career exploration. This event focuses on three high-demand, high-wage industry sectors in Southeast Michigan, advanced manufacturing and technology, construction and health sciences.
I am grateful for events like MiCareerQuest and Manufacturing Day that put an emphasis on youth career exploration. These events leave a lasting impact on the future workforce and every year I am proud to take part in it.
Post-secondary education will not look the same for every student who walks onto a plant floor on October 2. While these tours allow students to discover the world of advanced manufacturing, the partnership between Oakland County Michigan Works! and Oakland80 is what gives them the support needed to successfully enter the field.
The career and education navigators deployed throughout the county are prepared to help inspired students take a deeper look into the careers of tomorrow and forge their path forward. Manufacturing in particular offers various entry points, and the Oakland80 staff work with students to explore the best option for them. Whether that be a Registered Apprenticeship Program, short-term training or traditional college degree, these navigators are dedicated to guiding the future of workers forward.
We look forward to celebrating this year’s Oakland County Manufacturing Day with several of our partners, the employers who have graciously offered up their facilities as tour host sites and the volunteers who make this event possible.
Sincerly,
Brooklyn Frontiera, Oakland County Michigan Works! Youth Program Coordinator
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Oakland80 By the Numbers
Career and Education Navigator Services for Adult Learners:
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Over 26,000 one-on-one services provided to over 8,800 unique individuals
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Over 209,600 connections made (not including paid outreach campaign)
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Almost 1,865 community events
Career and Education Navigator Services for High Schoolers:
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Over 11,500 one-on-one services provided
- Over 3,600 connections made to students and their families
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Over 2,125 events
Oakland80 Supportive Services:
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Over 4,800 (unduplicated) individuals received Oakland80 Supportive Services
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Over 8,100 barriers to education and employment removed
Learn more about the new Southfield location!
News Articles
Success Story
Sparking a Network: Accessing Support to Enter a Male-Dominated Field
The American Welding Society projects that the United States will need 320,500 welding professionals by 2029 to keep up with demand. Only 5% of welders currently employed are women.
As a junior at Kettering High School in Waterford, Alison Cergol already knew she wanted to pursue a career in welding. With several obstacles standing in her way, she was prepared to face them to earn the title of Certified Welder.
Curious about where to find training opportunities, Cergol turned to the Oakland80 team for guidance. In October 2024, she connected with Oakland80 Career and Education Navigator Chris Meller to explore her options. Cergol shared that she was interested in pursuing welding but had concerns about entering a traditionally male-dominated field. She was determined to pursue the same opportunities and access to training as a young man entering the welding profession.
Even while working and attending school full-time, Cregol was committed to entering the industry as prepared as her male counterparts.
With support from Meller and Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates Youth Specialist, Beth Michaels, Cregol learned she was eligible for the Community College Guarantee. Offered through the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, the Community College Guarantee covers 100% of in-district tuition for recent high school graduates to earn an associate degree or skills certificate.
Soon after, Cregol was enrolled in the Oakland Community College Skilled Trades Pre-Apprenticeship program. After six weeks of training, she earned eight college credits, an OSHA 10 certification and countless transferable skills, including:
- Dial gage measurements
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Gage measurements
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Tape and rule measurements
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Micrometer measurements
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Caliper measurements
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Angle measurements
Upon completion of the program, she plans to become a professional welder and possibly start her own welding business. Cregol states, “I want to be a welder because it will offer the freedom to create so many different things.”
Although the pre-apprenticeship program has ended and Cregol is no longer a student at Waterford Kettering, she plans to remain in contact with her Oakland80 navigator.
“Because of your support, guidance, and encouragement, I have more confidence in myself and in my future,” she states. “You’ve been such an important mentor in my life, and it’s hard to imagine going through those next steps without at least asking, 'What would Chris tell me to do?”
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Help more Michigan students unlock the financial support they need to pursue their education by using and sharing the MiStudent Aid Digital Toolkit. By spreading the word, you’re empowering high school students with trusted information that can open doors, remove barriers, and move them closer to their goals!
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2026 Michigan's Career Outlook: This publication provides multiple lists of in-demand occupations by education and training requirements and highlights the most in-demand STEM occupations.
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2026 Michigan's Hot 50 Job Outlook: This publication highlights Michigan’s high-demand, high-wage careers that show a favorable mix of projected long-term job growth, projected annual job openings, and median wages through 2034.
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Click here for a complete listing of all Oakland80 Virtual Workshops and Partner Events.
- Are you hosting any upcoming events that you’d like to add to our calendar? Please email details to Oakland80@OakGov.com so that we can help spread the word!
Call to Action
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Are you hosting any upcoming events that you’d like to add to our calendar? Please email details to Oakland80@OaklandCountyMI.gov so that we can help spread the word!
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