Michigan Community Colleges Address Labor Shortage in Manufacturing

Many of the manufacturers we speak with express their concern about finding younger talent – or sometimes just available talent – in the manufacturing workforce. Since the recession a few years back, most manufacturing plants have been running leaner, and the manufacturing job force has not been appealing for the younger generation. Also, our culture promotes the mindset that the only way to be successful in a career is to attend college and earn a degree rather than learn a skilled trade. These circumstances have left a huge void in the manufacturing workforce, especially in the need for younger talent. Most manufacturers are concerned that when their machinists retire, they won’t have replacements in place who are educated enough to perform the same tasks.

Delta College and Mid Michigan Community College have addressed this problem head-on by creating an accelerated CNC program to train and prepare applicants with the proper knowledge and skills to excel in this field. The program addresses the two major problems in regards to this topic by attracting the younger generations and offering a viable solution to those who do not want to obtain the traditional college degree.

One great thing about this program is that it is local. Most of the graduates are local residents who plan to find a job locally. The colleges are an excellent resource to find trained talent who want to enter the manufacturing workforce. The students will already have the training and expertise to start working immediately, with a background that could propel them into more advanced machining.

If you are experiencing similar issues with finding younger, trained talent, look no further than our back yard!