Student apprentices graduating from a new automated equipment program will hold demonstrations in front of high-tech industry representatives in February and March at Oakland Community College and Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Calif. Industry professionals are invited to attend the free presentations by students in the Michigan Advanced Technician Training, or MAT2. Educators say MAT2 addresses two critical issues facing the manufacturing industry: a widening skills gap and an aging workforce. During a course of three years, MAT2 students alternate between classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Their employers pay their tuition and a stipend during their school periods and wages during their work periods.
An apprentice in the Michigan Advanced Technician Training program demonstrates a piece of automated equipment. The program is expected to meet a growing need in high-tech industries for workers trained to install, troubleshoot and repair such equipment. Photo courtesy of Oakland Community College
