$1 million in training funds awarded to area businesses

EAST TAWAS – Michigan Works! Region 7B successfully partnered with 11 businesses across its six county service area recently to help them acquire a combined total of over $1 million in Going PRO Talent Fund dollars aimed at training, developing, and retaining newly hired and current employees.

“We’re thrilled to see these training dollars awarded to local businesses to help them meet their training goals,” said Mark L. Berdan, executive director Michigan Works! Region 7B. “We know that this sort of continuous improvement will positively impact not only these businesses and their employees, but the economic health of our region as well.

“We are thankful to Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity for the chance to partner for the benefit of our businesses and our communities.”

In Iosco County, Kalitta Air and Tawas Tool received training dollars from Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) in this first round of funding.

LEO makes Going PRO Talent Fund awards to employers through a partnership with Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs). Participating employers work with their local MWAs to identify their training needs and to develop strategic training plans as part of the application process.

The Oscoda-based aviation transportation leader Kalitta Air received $490,000 in training funds. Many of those dollars will be devoted to training employees in their robust USDOL-Registered Apprenticeship Program.

Apprentice Program Manager Angel Melendez noted that the company appreciated the Going Pro Talent Fund award and the role it will play in upskilling the company’s apprentices. He added that the USDOL-approved Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic’s Apprenticeship is a very effective way for their trainees to become a qualified Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT).

“In this program, apprentices work alongside and learn from experienced technicians. They get to develop their skills on real aircraft, in a real job, working on a varied fleet of some of the largest, most modern aircraft flying today,” Melendez said, inviting interested applicants to explore their apprentice program. “This apprenticeship is the starting point to a great career. You’ll earn a great wage as you gain certifications needed to become one of our future Aircraft Maintenance Technicians.”

East Tawas manufacturer Tawas Tool received $38,160 to implement the training plan they developed for their Going PRO Talent Fund application.

“We have seen great progress with staff who participated in Going PRO-funded courses last year, and are anticipating the same engagement this year,” said Josh Hopkins, Manufacturing Engineering manager, Tawas Tool. “The Going Pro Talent Fund allows us to build on our internal workforce development and that helps us train and retain employees.”

“The Going Pro Grant Funding is an excellent opportunity for Star Cutter to invest in training for our most important assets, our employees,” said Lindsey Bielby, human resources manager. “The funds provided cover a wide range of our training needs as we continue to develop our employees’ skill sets and career paths.”

Tawas Tool Company, East Tawas, a designer and manufacturer of gear tools, is using the funds to provide education through 18 different online courses at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, where they will become certified in everything from ISO 9001 Auditing to Blue Print Reading to Introduction to Collaborative Robotics. Additionally, selected employees will attend classes in electrical studies and industrial safety at Alpena Community College.

At Ossineke Industries, Ossineke, Star Cutter’s deep hole drills manufacturing location, funds will be used to provide Solidworks® CAD program training to two employees, as well as sending four employees to classes at the MMTC in ISO 9001: 2015 Internal Auditor, 8-D Problem Solving, and Core Tools training. Additionally, Ossineke plans to hire two new team members and these funds will allow them to receive six weeks of cross-training on different plant responsibilities

At the H.B. Carbide facility, Lewiston, where the company manufactures tungsten carbide blanks and preforms, the funding is being used to provide training to two new team leaders in the areas of Lean Office Practitioner, Lean Manufacturing Practitioner, and Lean Single Method Exchange of Die, SMED.

In addition to the training being provided through the Going PRO funding, Star Cutter runs apprentice programs and ongoing training for its employees.

Since the launch of the Going PRO Talent Fund in 2014, more than 6,000 Michigan businesses have received Talent Fund awards to assist in training, developing and retaining newly hired and current employees. Training must fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer and lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.

Other businesses receiving Going PRO Talent Fund grants in the Michigan Works! Region 7B service area include Magline and Vantage Plastics, Arenac County; MTW Industries and Rite-Hite Products, Clare County; Oasis Salon and Spa, Riverwalk Place, and Saint-Gobain Life Sciences, Gladwin County; Ogemaw Eye Institute, Ogemaw County; and Lear Corporation, Roscommon County.

A full list of grant recipients for the 2023 fiscal year, per MWA, is available online at Michigan.gov/TalentFund.

Additional funding will be available through the second cycle of Talent Fund awards, which will open late spring. Employers are also encouraged to apply as Industry-Led Collaboratives starting in March 2023.

If you would like to find out how the Going PRO Talent Fund could help upskill the workforce at your business, or to learn more about Kalitta Air’s Apprenticeship Program, contact Clara Sherman, Director of Business Services, Michigan Works! Region 7B, Iosco County, at 989-362-6407.

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