Students invited to learn about training program that teaches in demand skills while providing a paycheck

High school students and parents in Southeast Michigan invited to learn how students can gain advanced manufacturing work skills while earning a paycheck through the MAT² program.

LANSING, Mich. – High school students and parents in Southeast Michigan are invited to attend a free informational session to learn how students can gain advanced manufacturing work skills while earning a paycheck through the Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT²) program offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and participating employers.

MAT2 was highlighted at the Mackinac Policy Conference last week by Gov. Rick Snyder as a way to combat the talent gap currently facing Michigan.

“The MAT² initiative is focused on meeting employer needs and will equip students with experience and skills they need to succeed in today’s high-tech world,” said MEDC President and CEO Michael A. Finney. “This information session will give students and parents an opportunity to learn about this great way for students to earn an associate’s degree at no cost, get paid, gain critical work skills, and end up with guaranteed employment in an in-demand field.”

The MAT² Parent Information Night session, taking place June 5 at Macomb Community College in Warren, will provide an overview on MAT², an innovative training program that combines classroom instruction with paid work experience in a three-year, no-cost program in the fields of mechatronics, information technology, and technical product design.

Program administrators will be on hand to give an overview of the program, answer parents’ questions and provide information on how students can enroll. Participating employers, community college representatives involved in MAT², current MAT² students, program administrators and MEDC staff will be offering insight on student expectations, involvement and commitment. 

Pre-registration is not required. Sign-in begins at 6:30 p.m. The presentation will take place from 7-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 5 in RST Building, Room S-101 at Macomb Community College South Campus located at 14500 E. 12 Mile Rd. in Warren. 

Accepted MAT² students will earn an associate’s degree at a participating community college while they earn a paycheck and gain on the job experience with a participating company. Tuition is paid by the employer and in exchange, the student commits to remaining on the job for at least two years after successful completion of the program.

The MAT² participating employers include:

• BorgWarner – Global product leader in powertrain solutions.
• Brose – Delivers mechatronic systems and electric drives to automotive manufacturers and suppliers.
• Cadillac Products Automotive Company – Designs, develops and manufactures creative and cost effective products including a wide variety of protective plastic, exterior and interior acoustical and energy management parts for the automotive industry.
• Dasi Solutions – Offers SolidWorks 3D CAD engineering software and Stratasys 3D printers for rapid prototyping.
• Detroit Diesel – Manufactures a complete line of heavy-duty diesel engines, axles and transmissions for the on-highway and vocational market.
• Dürr – One of the world’s leading suppliers of paint and assembly systems to the automotive, aircraft, and tier supplier industry.
• Eberspaecher – System partners of the automotive industry in the areas of automotive electronics and tools and services for electronic networking in vehicles.
• EMAG - Umbrella of companies that manufacture transmission, engine and chassis components covering the entire spectrum of machining processes in the metal working industry.
• Frimo – Worldwide leading developers and providers of system solutions for the manufacture of high-quality plastics components.
• FTE Automotive – Partner in the development and production of applications used in powertrain and braking systems for the automotive industry.
• Heller – Manufactures 4-axis and 5-axis machining centers, multi-tasking machining centers, flexible manufacturing systems and crankshaft and camshaft milling and turning machines for; aerospace, automotive, agriculture, arms, construction, general machining, medical, power generation and trucking industries.
• HERCO – Supplier of precision sheet metal and machine services to customers in the electronics, defense, and aerospace industries.
• Hirotec – Provides top quality closure panels to the automotive industry through a fully-integrated production system.
• INERGY – Supplier of complete plastic fuel systems and emission reduction related fluids systems to car manufacturers.
• Jenoptik – Leading manufacturer and system provider of industrial metrology products for high-precision, contact and non-contact production metrology.
• Kern-Liebers – Worldwide supplier for systems vendors to the automotive, textile, and consumer goods industries.
• KESSLER – Manufacturer of components for the machine tool industry.
• KOSTAL – Develops and manufactures technologically advanced electronic, electro-mechanical and mechatronic products.
• Linear Mold & Engineering – Provider of tooling for injection molds, compression molds, and any tooling required for processing of thermoplastic resins.
• Link Engineering – A designer and manufacturer of precision test equipment and a provider of comprehensive testing services.
• New Center Stamping – Produces predominately past model service parts for the automotive industry.
• Pontiac Coil – Manufactures a wide expanse of coils, solenoids, electromagnetic, electromechanical, transformers, and plastic injection molding parts and components.
• Proper Group International – Innovator in the plastic molding industry, delivering rapid prototype development to sophisticated injection molds for the transportation industry.
• Secure 24 – Provides quality IT hosting services for SAP and Oracle, as well as IT outsourcing solutions for corporations.
• Siemens – A globally operating technology company with core activities in the fields of energy, health care, industry, and infrastructure.
• Van-Rob – A full-service automotive industry leader in the design and manufacture of large structural assemblies, chassis components, and interior crash management systems in both steel and aluminum.
• Volkswagen Group of America – A wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe.
• Weil Engineering – From rollforming equipment, to laser tube welders, to end forming machinery, Weil technology offers a complete turn-key solution to develop thin-wall steel tube from initial conception to reality.
• ZF – International supplier of automotive driveline and chassis technology.

For more information on the MAT² program, please visit http://www.mitalent.org/mat2/.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.