Gov. Rick Snyder: $50 million grant program will help community colleges boost skilled trades instruction

Gov. Rick Snyder: $50 million grant program will help community colleges boost skilled trades instruction

Investment will help Michigan become national leader in developing talent

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015

Gov. Rick Snyder: $50 million grant program will help community colleges boost skilled trades instruction Investment will help Michigan become national leader in developing talent

LANSING, Mich. – Students at 18 community colleges across the state will gain in-demand skills using state-of-the-art equipment and training through a $50 million grant program, Gov. Rick Snyder said.

Snyder today announced Michigan Economic Development Corporation approval of schools selected through the Community College Skilled Trades Equipment Program, an effort to help close a talent gap and meet a demand for good-paying jobs.

“We are positioning Michigan to become the national leader in developing talent,” Snyder said. “This serious investment -- one of the largest of its kind in the country – will tap our top-notch community colleges and help new students and adults looking for new opportunities gain the skills sought by companies looking to grow and expand, creating more and better jobs in Michigan.”

Announced by Snyder in October, the grant program was created to provide funding that enables Michigan community colleges to purchase equipment required for educational programs in high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand occupations. Earlier today, the Michigan Strategic Fund authorized issuing bonds to fund the program.

“Manufacturing has created more than 114,500 jobs since 2009 and employers are still searching to fill thousands of available positions,” said Chuck Hadden, President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association. “The Community College Skilled Trades Equipment Program provides Michigan’s next generation the equipment necessary to learn the skills manufacturers need.”

The 18 community colleges selected to receive grants will provide more than $21.5 million in matching funds. Complete college details are shown on the list below.

“Meeting the skills gap in today’s economy is right in the sweet spot of the training activity of many community colleges. And yet with a rapid pace of change in several new industries, keeping training programs current with the latest equipment and technology can be a challenge,” said Michael Hansen, President of the Michigan Community College Association. “The funding announced today as part of the CCSTEP program will go a long way in meeting that challenge, and we applaud the Governor and the MSF for providing these greatly needed funds in partnership with local employers and community colleges.”

Skilled-trade jobs typically require education beyond high school, along with on-the-job training, but not a four-year degree. The career range includes jobs in health care (lab technicians, dental hygienists), maintenance and repair, public safety, manufacturing (machine operators, welders), along with work as carpenters, plumbers and electricians. Collectively, these jobs represent about one-third of the state’s employment base.

“Expanding the number of skilled people in our world-class workforce is fundamental to furthering Michigan’s business-friendly reputation,” MEDC CEO Steve Arwood said. “This grant program requires unprecedented collaboration among private-sector employers and local educators with focused support from state government. Together, we will be laying a foundation that benefits our businesses and better matches our residents with good-paying, in-demand jobs.”

The grant program is a critical component of the state’s comprehensive $70-million strategy to address the demand for hard-to-fill jobs. The program offered up to $4.8 million to community colleges that would provide a 25 percent match for all equipment costs, including installation, renovations and instructor training.

The program also requires collaboration with school districts and a detailed plan on how the funding will help meet employers’ job needs.

Community College Skilled Trades Equipment Program awards:

College CCSTEP Funds Match Funds Total Project Cost Program Areas Alpena Community College $468,750.00 $156,250.00 $625,000.00 Industrial Technology/ Training Center, Unmanned Aerial Systems Bay College $748,893.37 $251,304.42 $1,000,197.79 EMT/Paramedic, Welding, Water Resource Management, Mechatronics Delta College $1,569,005.00 $639,440.00 $2,092,006.00 Chemical Processing, CNC Machinist Grand Rapids Community College $2,949,928.24 $983,309.41 $3,933,237.65 Machine Tool, Welding, Assemblers and Fabricators, HVAC, Automotive Technician, Hospitality Education Henry Ford College $4,528,613.00 $2,180,359.00 $6,708,972.00 Machine Tool Technology, Electrical Technology, Welding, Manufacturing, Automotive, Energy Tech/HVAC Jackson College $3,874,595.00 $968,649.00 $4,843,224.00 Advanced Manufacturing, CNC/Machining, Industrial Systems, Manufacturing Design, Welding Kalamazoo Valley Community College $3,575,116.95 $1,178,565.18 $4,753,682.13 3D Printing/Machine Tool, Welding, CNC, Information Technology, CAD/CAM, Water Treatment/Chemical Processing Kellogg Community College $2,107,575.00 $526,894.00 $2,634,469.00 Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Manufacturing Kirtland Community College $2,656,184.00 $887,786.00 $2,901,380.00 Electrical, HVAC, Machining, Mechatronics, Welding, Health Science, Criminal Justice, Automotive Technology Lansing Community College $4,800,000.00 $4,042,120.00 $8,842,120.00 Manufacturing Engineering Technology Design, Manufacturing Engineering Technology Machining, Manufacturing Engineering Technology System, Welding Technology, Electrical Technologies, Computer Information Technologies, Mechatronics Macomb Community College $2,829,055.21 $987,798.80 $3,816,854.01 Welding Fabrication, CNC Machining, Mechatronics, Production Operators, Automotive Manufacturing Montcalm Community College $1,285,314.00 $430,955.19 $1,716,709.19 Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing/Robotics Mott Community College $3,061,420.00 $1,020,475.00 $4,081,895.00 Building & Construction, HVACR, Electronics/Robotics, Mechatronics, CADD, Welding, Automotive, Dental Respiratory Therapy, Medical Assistant, CNC Machining, Production Operations Muskegon Community College $4,105,446.00 $2,641,987.00 $6,641,987.00 Welding, Foundry/Metallurgy, Machining, CAD, Electrical Technology, Manufacturing Automation, Mechatronics, Agriculture Northwestern Michigan College $2,078,174.00 $697,061.00 $2,775,235.00 Engineering Technology, Marine Technology, Welding Technology, Nursing, Computer Information Technology Oakland Community College $4,538,505.00 $1,512,835.00 $6,051,340.00 Automotive Servicing, Collision Auto Repair, Medium/Heavy Truck and Equipment, Commercial Driver Washtenaw Community College $4,399,634.17 $2,323,685.11 $6,723,319.28 Advanced Transportation Center, Machine Tool Technology, Welding and Fabrication, Auto Body Repair, Automotive Services West Shore Community College $423,791.06 $147,120.75 $571,003.71 Registered Nursing, Protective Services, Welding TOTALS $50,000,000.00 $21,576,594.86 $70,712,631.76

Note: CCSTEP Funds + Match Funds not equal to Total Project Cost due to additional third-party contributions toward individual projects where applicable

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