Employers seeking skilled trades trainees will benefit from Company Fair on April 16

March 18, 2016 – Michigan employers who reserve one or more trainee slots for the Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT2) program this fall will be invited to attend a MAT2 Company Fair on Saturday, April 16 in Oakland County to interview academically qualified students.

Trainee slots must be reserved by April 4. The event is hosted by an Oakland County company and the exact location of the host site will be shared with those who register.

MAT2 is an innovative training initiative that combines classroom instruction with paid work experience in a three-year program. Employers pay the student’s tuition, a school stipend and wages during work periods. At the end of the program students earn an associate degree in one of four MAT2 programs. In exchange for paid education and training, the student commits to remaining on the job for at least two years after completing the program.

“Michigan companies need their next generation of highly skilled technicians in order to remain competitive,” said Stephanie Comai, director of the Michigan Talent Investment Agency. “MAT2 is an industry-defined education program that provides employers with technicians who have the skills and competencies to operate state-of-the-art technology. We’re pleased to have 46 employers who are sponsoring over 130 students, but we’re also looking for new employers for 2016.”

One of the key benefits of MAT2 is the state of Michigan’s applicant pool system. At the April 16 MAT2 Company Fair, employers will have the opportunity to interview candidates who are interested in highly skilled technical careers – and who meet the academic requirements to be successful in a challenging training program.

Participating colleges and programs include:

Mechatronics - Baker College of Cadillac, Henry Ford College and Oakland Community College. Mechatronics technicians apply electrical, mechanical, and electronics skills to modify machines, make minor changes, repair, test, and provide maintenance for production machinery. Troubleshooting is a key competency.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) - Delta College, Henry Ford College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. CNC technicians set up, operate and produce high-quality products on CNC machine tools. Skills include blueprint reading, gauging and inspection, statistical process control, mathematics, safety, and machine tooling.

Information Technology (IT) - Oakland Community College. IT technicians install, troubleshoot, maintain and update technologies, and communicate to both internal and external customers. Areas of focus include system support, database systems, network administration and system security.

Technical Product Design (TPD) - Mott Community College. Technical Product Design technicians use their skills to develop new products or modify existing ones. TPD technicians create 2-D drawings, technical documents, 3-D models, and computer simulations to demonstrate design goals.

In addition to cost-savings in applicant recruitment and customized training, MAT2 employer advantages include:

• Training students on in-house equipment;
• Standardized competencies and practices;
• A pipeline of well-trained talent as an outcome;
• Finding skilled talent to replace an aging workforce.

How to sign up for the MAT2 Company Fair Scheduled for Saturday, April 16

To be invited to this year’s MAT2 Company Fair, employers must reserve one or more trainee slots for the fall 2016 school year. For more details on how to reserve a MAT2 trainee slot, send an email to wda-mat2@michigan.gov.

For more information about how Michigan companies can become MAT2 employers, go to http://www.mitalent.org/mat2-employer-information/

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