Construction Welding Advisors of Mid-Michigan formed in April of 2008 as a group of welding and pipefitting professionals in the construction industry, colleges that offer welding training (such as Delta College), associations that offer welding training (such as the Associated Builders & Contractors Association), and MITECH+.

Colleges and training institutes often face harsh criticism that they don’t train students properly for the real world – they are “out of touch academics” that don’t seem to care that their graduates are not prepared for the world of work once they leave the academic environment.   It makes sense that, in a perfect world, with excellent communications, businesses would express what skills they are looking for in graduates, schools would train to those specifications, and students would be encouraged to pursue those careers and get that training required.  That need has led to formation of a new advisory group in Mid-Michigan. The purpose of this advisory committee is to learn the needs of businesses and industry that employ individuals with advanced welding skills and to communicate those needs to the organizations that provide the training. The Construction Welding Advisors met with Bruce Faccio, Assistant Professor Welding Technology at Delta College to tour the Delta College Welding Lab, and to improve communication between the construction companies in the Mid-Michigan region and Delta College. This will insure that Bruce and his colleagues are preparing Delta graduates for the world of work and to make sure that they have the basic welding training so they are ready for the advanced welding training by the contractors when they complete the Delta Welding program.  Bruce Faccio led a tour of the Delta College welding training facility.  They have 30 welding stations (30 Stick, 10 MIG, 20 TIG, and 6 Oxyacetylene.)  He also showed their grinding stations, tool crib, and classroom areas.    The Construction Welding Advisors have already offered many good suggestions including: Developing a Mentors /Job shadowing program to get students right out into the field with the contractors.  Offer field trips to bring Professor Faccio and his students to the construction companies and to their job sites to let them see the work first-hand.  The Advisors agreed that since pipe welding is so important to both the construction companies and the chemical companies in mid-Michigan that a new Pipe Welding class should be added to the Delta curriculum.     Charlie Hyatt, Part-time Welding Instructor for Delta College and former lead welder for The Dow Chemical Company, said that in the past, many training programs “taught to pass the test” rather than teaching the broad skills required to “think like a welder” and to be knowledgeable about how to be a problem solver out in the field.  I met with Scott Govitz, Executive Director of M-Tec at MidMichigan Community College and he said that MMCC is expanding their Welding training program and would like this same input from the Construction Welding Advisors.  This kind of excellent communication between businesses and our colleges will lead to Mid-Michigan being recognized as the place to go for a high skilled, trained technical workforce. 

MITECH+ is developing a new “Welding Resource & Training Guide for Mid-Michigan.” It is an information resource for people that need welding training, for companies that have employees that need welding training, and for the welding training organization themselves to collaborate with one another for their mutual benefit.  For more information on the Construction Welding Advisors or if you would like to get involved in the group, please contact Jim Kostrava at (989) 839-2342 or Kostrava@mitechplus.com.

James E. Kostrava is Executive Vice President for MITECH+ in Midland, Michigan.

MidMichigan has it all:  A great quality of life, beautiful surroundings, a very reasonable cost of living/housing (as compared with just about any place else in the country), great health care, great education, arts, entertainment, lack of congestion compared with most metropolitan areas, short commutes, fresh water, tourist haven, outdoor activities galore, major industry – virtually every component you might look for to have a great quality of life.

MidMichigan should be a magnet for talent. Why wouldn’t people want to come here from all over the country?  And, once here, why would anyone want to leave?  Granted, we have harsh winters.  But so do many other places around the planet that seem to be well-inhabited, desirable destinations. MidMichigan should be a magnet for talent, but is it?  Not entirely.  And why not?  It is a lack of communication.  We need to do a better job as a region to communicate what we have to offer.

One of the keys to the prosperity of a region is employment opportunities.  It is common to hear that all the good jobs are being sent overseas.  We beg to differ.  Mid-Michigan is the home to The Dow Chemical Company, Delphi, Dow Corning Corporation, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, MidMichigan Health, Hemlock Semi-Conductor, Central Michigan University, Covenant HealthCare, General Motors Powertrain, Michigan Sugar, Morbark Inc., S.E. Johnson & Son, MBS International Airport —- the list goes on and on.  These organizations are here – and here to stay – looking for qualified skilled and technical employees.MITECH+ is a non-profit organization that encourages people to choose skilled and technical careers, and it serves as the connecting point for technical career information.  It is MITECH+’s mission to connect employers that need people with technical skills; colleges, universities, and training organizations to provide technical training; and individuals to do the skilled and technical work. 

MITECH+ advocates for skilled and technical careers through collaboration to accurately inform parents and students; support educational providers in preparing students; connect educational providers and industry, and address systemic change.Jobs that are “Hot” right now and expected to be most in demand in the future are: high-end welders / pipefitters, nurses (LPN and RN), chemical process technicians, and electricians.

For information: http://www.mitechplus.com/Fwd%20MITECH+%20Career%20Horizons.pdf

In February of 2008, MITECH+ launches a new program called Career Success Connection to prepare individuals for the world of work. They develop a personal road map for success to become a motivated, high performing employee. Presenters explain what employers look for and what it takes to get hired.  They help individuals to identify potential occupations for which they are passionate, and tell them how to get the necessary training and experience to perform well in those jobs.Through an innovative curriculum of hands-on workshops, individualized assessments, business leader presentations and mentorship, participants are empowered with the confidence and competence to succeed in the world of work. The Career Success Connection also benefits businesses by providing a capable, motivated workforce.

For information: http://www.mitechplus.com/CareerSuccessConnection.pdf

As people complete their technical training and fill the jobs that are available now and into the future, mid-Michigan will be a magnet for prosperity and economic development.  Check out the MidMichigan Innovation Center website for some recent success stories: http://midmichiganinnovationcenter.org/

James E. Kostrava is executive vice president of MITECH+, Inc. in Midland, Michigan   

Over the past couple of months many people have been working hard to ensure that Midland Public School students have the opportunity to participate in an advanced welding class this school year.  Earlier in the year many students learned that they could no longer get into their second and third year of welding due to classes being filled.However, thanks to the combined effort of the MPS administration, the ESA, Delta College and local businesses, a new welding class is now scheduled at Delta College during the second semester of the 2007-2008 school year.The fourteen students who will participate will board a bus before the break of dawn (at 6:45 a.m.) and head for their welding class on the Delta campus in the Advanced Manufacturing  wing.  They will be instructed by Delta professors, and will be dual enrolled ( they will receive both high school and college credit).  Their coursework will be the equivalent to completing Delta’s 104 and 114  welding courses.Earning college credit while in high school not only gives  these students a big jump on their post-secondary education, but also  gives  them a taste of the college life  and college expectations .We hope to see many more students interested in receiving advanced technical training while in high school next year.  If you would like more information contact your Midland Public High School counselor, or contact MITECH+ (989 ) 923-1500  and we will get you the information you need. For additional career support information check out the MITECH+ website at: www.mitechplus.com.

Here in the Midland area we hear it a lot: “My son or daughter still isn’t sure what to do with their life.” While we have great education systems in place and an abundance of high-paying technical jobs, there seems to be a lack of focus for many young adults when it comes time to make something of their life.  Here is where we can help.

A new program has been designed for students and young adults in the mid-Michigan area called “Career Success Connection“. The goal of this program is to find and assist motivated young people who just need some real world career guidance.  By participating one night per week for six weeks, a student will be able to have real horsepower supporting him or her in developing a career plan.

Mitech Plus, along with several supporting business and organizations, has created a hands-on, real world education program that will guide students toward understanding the true demands of adult careers, including leadership, personal responsibility, problem solving, and basic business “common sense”. Each session is lead by a proven, well known business leader from our community.  Each student will be assigned a mentor that will help support and guide them once the program is over.  Between the roadmap they will develop in the course, along with the mentor’s support, we expect that thes students will be equiped with competence and confidence to pursue their careers and dreams.

The sessions start on February 20th 2008.  Go to the Mitech Plus website for program details and enrollment procedures.

Toward the end of March, we’ll post the results of the program on this blog.  A second class is currently scheduled to begin in late March or early April (more details to follow).

Everyone knows that Michigan’s economy has been suffering for a long time. There is enough negative press to ensure the entire country is aware of this, if not the entire world! But we need to start looking at the facts instead of the perceptions. In Mid Michigan, there is significant economic improvement because of the skilled and technical workforce. The level of investment continues to increase (Click Here for the recent article).   

There are expansions at both Fortune 500 chemical companies, there are numerous construction projects, there are major expansions at regional hospitals, and more.  There are more high skilled jobs available for people than there are skilled people to fill them.  And that brings me to my point. The people of Mid Michigan need to continue to invest is skilled and technical education.  Otherwise who is going to build the next power plant?  Or the next chemical plant?  Or the next alternative energy facility?  As the expansion of the Mid Michigan economy continues to ramp up, we’ll needs thousands of employees who have both two year and four year technical degrees. Our high schools need to increase their investment in career and technical education (CTE). 

Did you know that students who successfully complete CTE courses are more successful in getting their 2 year and 4 year degrees? Once they acquire the skills, the job options are plentiful. But budget cuts are plaguing our schools and hampering investment in technical education.  If that doesn’t change, our students and adults will be left in the dust. You can’t stay competitive training on yesterday’s technology. 

MITECH+ is committed to doing everything we can to help our kids and adults get the best technical education available. We recently donated $8000 to the Midland County public school welding program for supplies and safety equipment.  We helped get a new college-level welding class available for high school students.  We’ve supported closer working relations with the schools and our local hospital to increase the rigor and relevance of the Health Care Technology programs. The Mid Michigan economy is getting healthier by the day.  Let’s make sure we have tomorrow’s technology in place to sustain this welcomed trend.

By Bill Moneypenny, CEO, MITECH+

Welcome to the MITECH+ Blog.  It is intended to be an informative source about Technical Careers in Mid Michigan. Comments are welcome and encouraged.  For additional information, please contact Jim Kostrava at Mitech Plus, 989-923-1500.