With little to no student debt, hands-on skills, access to employment and a foundation to build a career, Macomb Community College’s Industrial Readiness Program prepares students for the futures in the trades.
“MAP+ [Michigan Apprenticeship Program Plus] classes provide students with the knowledge that hiring employers are looking for when they hire people into a skilled trade apprenticeship,” program coordinator Carol Hensler- Smith said.
In one semester, students can take classes for manufacturing or construction, which teach foundational skill sets to pursue advanced careers in those paths. After completion, students learn an Industrial Readiness Certificate and nine college credits.
“MAP+ provides the path to getting started in a skilled trade career. MAP+ completers often start entry level skilled trades jobs or apprenticeships. Skilled trades apprentices also have little or no debt from education,” Hensler-Smith said.
For eligible applicants, the MAP+ Industrial Readiness program is tuition free. Eligibility requirements include: a high school diploma, 17 years’ old, available to attend class 10 a.m.-5 p.m. On Monday and Wednesday, and can provide high school or college transcript, SAT scores or WorkKeys scores, or take the WorkKeys test at Macomb Community College.
“I think free is fantastic, right? I mean, any time you can get any free college class, why would you turn that down? And especially if you’re interested in a trade, they’re all hands on classes,” career skills coordinator Justin Luce said.
Both programs include four classes and nine credit hours. Some of the classes include: Shop Arithmetic, Machine Tool Blueprint Reading, Machine Tool Lab, Industrial Safety, Residential Construction and Introduction to Building Trades.
“I think some of the apprenticeship programs have said that the people that are applying don’t seem to be prepared for the things they’ll face in the apprenticeship, so that’s why this kind of came about; they want to turn out people for the apprenticeship programs that are ready to go and ready to work,” Luce said.
This program offers students an opportunity to develop workplace skills and network with hiring employers which helps many students earn entry level skilled trades jobs. MAP+’s goal is to develop career pathways into apprenticeship and skilled trades to build a pipeline of students for industry needs in advanced manufacturing and construction.
“Skilled trades jobs and employees are responsible for everything that is around you,” Hensler-Smith said. “The car you drive, the road that you drive on, the house you live in, the school building that you attend, furniture that you sit on, lighting, plumbing, automation in manufacturing.”
