Star Cutter facilities received 2023 Going PRO Talent Funds from the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD) through the Michigan Works! agency. Going PRO is a competitive funding source that provides a solution to skill shortages throughout the State of Michigan that awards employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Past statistics from employees trained through the program indicate a retention rate of over 80%.

"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 in East Tawas, Mich., 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 (MMTC), 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, Mich.), 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 in Lewiston, Mich., 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.