With enrollment figures potentially down for the fall semester thanks to COVID-19, Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) is leaning on its flagship programs – and its safety-driven reopening plan – to remain an attractive option to prospective students. Nationwide, lagging enrollment figures plague virtually all higher education...
[caption id="attachment_22650" align="alignleft" width="252"] Howard[/caption] [caption id="attachment_22651" align="alignleft" width="229"] Hogan[/caption] Aaron Howard didn’t used to consider himself a car guy. But after about two and a half years working at classic vehicle insurer Hagerty and tapping a unique offering of in-house classes, he’s learned a lot professionally and...
[caption id="attachment_20778" align="alignleft" width="300"] Graduation diploma on background of US dollar bills[/caption] Do you want your business to be able to attract top-tier talent? If so, you’d better have something in your benefits package that includes the word “tuition” in it. Out of the college graduating class...
A popular state program that’s brought millions in worker training dollars to the Grand Traverse region is getting some business-friendly tweaks. The changes – and a new name – are coming to the Michigan Skilled Trades Training Fund, an initiative that wins praise in many corners. “This...
The ivory tower has morphed into something beyond educating the young. For many colleges, it's all about the bottom line. "Colleges are not in the business of making money. Colleges are in the business of making huge money," said Matt Breimayer, the owner and founder of Right...
As an employer, have you ever questioned whether an applicant’s educational degrees are authentic? If you discovered that a current employee had used a fake degree to obtain employment or advance his or her career with your company, what actions could you take? How would...
When Northwestern Michigan College begins its new associate degree in welding technology later this month, it’ll be thanks in part to something that transpired two and a half years prior: A major state grant for equipment toward skilled-trades training. The nearly $2.1 million grant, aimed at...
It’s not quite 50 shades, but Marathon Automotive’s general manager Dave Surowitz sees a bit too much gray in his field. “Our industry, like all of the skilled trades, is experiencing a graying of the workforce,” said Surowitz, a 20-year veteran at the South Airport Road...
Graphic designer. Baker. Firefighter. Customer service representative. They may not be occupations that readily come to mind as candidates for apprenticeships, but they’re among a myriad of possibilities that Evelyn Szpliet, the Northwest Michigan Works! new point person on apprenticeships, is happy to help employers consider. Szpliet...
It may be the era of government cutbacks, but one state program that has helped numerous Grand Traverse employers – the Michigan New Jobs Training Program – is expected to be around at least until 2023. Administered by Northwestern Michigan College’s (NMC) Training Services, the...
