Recognizing that upgrading the skill base of regional workers in order to get them into highly skilled manufacturing jobs is paramount to the success of high tech local manufacturers, Team Kinexus has successfully secured a sizable grant from the State of Michigan's Skilled Trades Training Fund (STTF) to help get the job done.
Kinexus has secured a $180,874 grant from Michigan’s Skilled Trades Training Fund to help nine local manufacturers enhance their workforce through training grants. The money will supplement the costs for incumbent and new workers to upgrade their skills in machining, mold making, computer programming, welding and other apprenticeship programs.
Ken Kemerer is Vice President of Global Operations at ICM Products. He says, “The STTF grant allows us to further invest in our workforce to improve the skills, knowledge, and value of all our employees. This is an important part of our continuous improvement efforts to drive innovation which insures continued growth and stability at ICM Products.”
The team of change agents at Kinexus surveyed the Manufacturing Industry in July and found that there is a high lack of technical skill competencies in the labor pool and 33-percent of manufacturers place emphasis on lack of soft skills as challenges in filling open positions. Survey results also revealed that 70-percent of manufacturers reported providing more training and development for both new and existing talent. The Skilled Trades Training Fund will help local employers fill the skills gap and provide additional training for current and future needs.
It has been proven that the manufacturing sector drives our regional economy. In fact, 17,779 jobs or 18-percent of all the jobs in Southwest Michigan are engaged in manufacturing. As the industry continues to transition to advanced manufacturing it requires an up-skilling of existing and potential employees, which Kinexus is working with manufacturing employers to address. Other participating manufacturers include: Vickers Engineering, Hanson Mold, Kelm Acubar, Mach Mold, Hanson Mold, Kay Manufacturing, Lakeshore Mold and Die, LLC, Albermarle and Kruger Plastics.
Alex Grumbine is Director of Business & Industry at Kinexus. He says, “The Michigan Skilled Trade Training grant is a great resource to help Michigan-based businesses enhance their employee skills and support new hire trainings. This grant will better prepare Southwest Michigan’s $2.1 billion manufacturing industry for the future and supply local employers with the talent they need to succeed.”
Kinexus also has additional resources to help existing companies develop training, support growth and retain employees. Additional grants may become available throughout the year. For more information, contact Alex Grumbine at 269-927-1064, ext. 1183 or via email at grumbinea@kinexus.org.
Kinexus is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating solutions for business, workforce, and community challenges that promote economic vitality in the Southwest Michigan region. For more information, go to www.Kinexus.org or follow along on Twitter @KinexusGroup and Facebook at facebook.com/KinexusGroup.
