A shortfall in skilled trades students means good students are highly recruited for positions that are hard to fill.
Thanks to the recent awarding of Michigan Technical Training scholarships to several local students, they’re increasing their chances of getting hired for some of these high-demand jobs.
The Downriver Career Technical Consortium has announced the names of the 2019 recipients of the Michigan MAT2 skilled trades apprenticeship program housed in the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant, home of the Ford Mustang.
The following students were awarded MAT2 scholarships by the following companies:
●U.S. Steel: Miles Sysol, Justin Barger, Dylan Pierce, Seth Eastridge and Derrick Ilich.
●Link Engineering: Brandon Kar and Michael Simmons.
●SW America: Wyatt McDavid, Nikolas Voltzikos.
●Durr Industries: Michael Peruski.
Heralded as the future of skilled trades training for students, this program is a joint partnership between Southgate Schools and the DCTC, along with Henry Ford College, the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Company.
Housed inside the Ford Mustang plant, students are enrolled in a dual enrollment program through Henry Ford College, where they receive up to 26 college credits, often counted towards their future apprenticeships.
The program receives support from the Ford Motor Company which donates the facilities along with the United Auto Workers, which donates skilled trades personnel to help teach the students.
UAW Region 1A Director Chuck Browning recently toured the program with the Ford Plant Manager Jon Gifford and was impressed with how well everyone worked to better the skilled trades opportunities for the students.
“I am very proud of the contributions made by the UAW Local 3000 leadership and our members to give back to our community through their participation in such a valuable program that helps prepare students for their future.”
“Having the skilled trades personnel to help teach the students brings real world knowledge into the program plus gives individualized assistance that a regular classroom is unable to afford,” said Arthur Ibegbu, Mechatronics program instructor for Southgate Schools and Henry Ford College.