Glen Oaks Community College is celebrating Michigan Manufacturing Week by recognizing regional employers that partnered with the college over the past year to strengthen Michigan’s manufacturing and mobility sectors.
The efforts were made in collaboration with Southwest Michigan Works, utilizing funds from the Electric Vehicle Jobs Academy (EVJA) grant and the Going PRO Talent Fund, according to a community announcement.
Between Aug. 13 and Sept. 25, Glen Oaks delivered 14 customized EVJA training sessions to 107 employees across Southwest Michigan.
Participating companies included American Axle, XL/Burke Porter, Morgan Olson, II Stanley and DeNooyer Automotive Group.
The first four employers focused on robotics, automation, PLC programming, blueprint reading, OSHA 10 and supply chain management. DeNooyer Automotive Group used the grant to deliver leadership and sales training, preparing its team for changes that come with increased production and sales of electric vehicles.
The companies invested nearly $287,000 in training aimed at bolstering Michigan’s position in the evolving electric vehicle industry.
Customized training, proven results
Among the most requested programs this year has been People Leadership, a series of professional development workshops that equip supervisors with tools for performance planning, coaching and counseling, communication, career development and team building.
“This training helped me become a better communicator and coach for my team,” a leadership participant said in an evaluation.
Going PRO grant opportunity now open for 2025 training
In addition to EVJA training, Glen Oaks continues to support local workforce growth through the Going PRO Talent Fund, a state grant program that helps employers offset the cost of training.
The application window for the 2025 funding cycle is now open and closes Oct. 17. Glen Oaks encourages employers to take advantage of this opportunity to apply for grant support and invest in training for their teams.
Recent Going PRO partnerships include Armstrong International, Clark Logic, TH Plastics, Kadant Johnson, Fibre Converters and the city of Sturgis. Training areas have included SolidWorks, welding, electrical fundamentals, OSHA 10, Six Sigma and project management.
“Whether we’re training on-site, on campus or online, our goal is the same — to help Michigan’s industries grow stronger through education,” Kristine Stevens, director of workforce development and community education, said in the announcement.
To learn more about customized training or assistance with Going PRO grant applications, contact Stevens at 269-294-4387 or kstevens@glenoaks.edu.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at
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