Winter MAT2 Session Begins in February at Kalamazoo Valley

The winter session of Kalamazoo Valley’s Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT2) mechatronics program begins on February 28, 2019.

The MAT2 program is the state’s innovative apprenticeship track that provides access to cutting-edge careers in advanced manufacturing through a partnership with more than 50 Michigan companies. MAT2 is a public-private collaboration in which employers pay tuition for an apprentice’s associate degree and provide on-the-job training with pay. Students who receive their degree and complete the three-year program requirements successfully have a job upon graduation in a high-demand field. Today, Michigan has nearly 200 MAT2 students.

The need for advanced manufacturing employees is expected to remain strong as baby boomers retire, with more than 100,000 job openings anticipated in Michigan through 2024. Average wages for full-time jobs in this arena are $23.37 an hour, according to Dean of Instruction for Business, Professional Trades and Public Services at Kalamazoo Valley, Suzanne Gardner. “By working together, we can help create and fill a pipeline of talent with in-demand skills while helping West Michigan businesses grow and thrive.”

Gardner said today’s skilled trades careers offer an array of opportunities that provide stable employment in modern facilities with high pay and competitive benefits.

For more information about Kalamazoo Valley’s MAT2 program go to https://www.kvcc.edu/programs/landingpages/requestmechatronic.php or contact Gardner at sgardner1@kvcc.edu or 269.488.4269.