Kalamazoo Valley Community College's
Technical Trades Renovation and Expansion Capital Campaign
Invest Today for Tomorrow's Growth
A shortage of technical trades people, brought on as the baby boomer generation of electricians, welders and builders retire, is driving up the cost of labor. Every skilled trade is in urgent need of trained workers. Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity projects more than 520,000 Michigan jobs and approximately 45,000 annual openings in the professional trades by the year 2030.* Manufacturing, in particular, has a much higher share of 45+ year-olds than total statewide employment. More than 46% of manufacturing employees are in this older age bracket, resulting in the need to train more young people to fill these roles as the older generation retires.
*https://www.michigan.gov/leo/news/2024/05/08
Why we need to expand our technical trades workforce:
- Local construction, manufacturing and automotive industries need a pipeline of employees
- The region will be prepared to support new businesses because the skilled workforce will be in place to build and maintain their facilities and the housing for their employees
- Career opportunities will increase for families who would benefit from good jobs in the trades
- Residents will be able to hire local tradespeople and educational growth will be available locally
Blueprint for Success
The Skilled Trades Wing at Texas Township campus is set for a major renovation, empowering Kalamazoo Valley to meet the evolving demands of technology and the growing need for skilled professionals. This expansion is not just a renovation, but a continued commitment to excellence in technical education and workforce readiness. With your support, the college will:
- Renovate the existing 68,000-square-feet of our current space in our Advanced Technology Center Wing at our Texas Township Campus, creating increased flexibility to adapt our classrooms and labs to teach future technical skills. This renovation will help us integrate instruction across disciplines and keep our classrooms relevant and responsive to our region's workforce needs.
- Build a new 20,000-square-foot Automotive Technology space. The new space will train the next generation of mechanics and better equip Kalamazoo Valley to offer customized training for automotive employers who are looking to provide industry-recognized credentials for their staff.
This new auto lab will feature more bays for traditional vehicles and also provide opportunities for new programs in:- Hybrid and electric vehicle technology training
- Renewable energy storage systems including charging stations
- Autonomous vehicle safety features diagnostics and repair
Kalamazoo Valley Community College has received a state appropriation of $19.5 million for this project.
We need your help to raise the additional $19.5 million match for this multi-million dollar renovation and expansion.
Transforming Lives and Communities through the Trades
PROMOTING WORKFORCE READINESS
Kalamazoo Valley takes the "community" in community college seriously. Our passionate and industry-connected instructors work with an advisory board of 110 specialists from local industries to ensure our graduates are prepared. We send over 500 apprentices into over 100 companies in 60 customized technical programs. Kalamazoo Valley, with its robust industry connections and flexible faculty, can nimbly adapt to advances in technology.
OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE
Careers in the technical trades change lives. Statewide, the average manufacturing salary is $71,700, which is $10,000 greater than the total average salary in Michigan. These good paying careers lift people out of dead-end jobs and help close equity gaps in our community. Expanding opportunities in the technical trades is a key part of Kalamazoo Valley's inclusive mission.
MAKING MICHIGAN A TALENT LEADER
The state is investing $19.5 million into Kalamazoo Valley's renovation and expansion of our technical trades facilities to help position Michigan as a talent leader. The State of Michigan's Sixty by 30 initiative to increase education attainment in our state has set a goal that, by 2030, 60% of working-age Michiganders will have a certificate or college degree. This investment in our capital campaign project, combined with the state's new program for free tuition to students who attend community college, will increase the number of seats in the classroom and remove financial barriers to training for good-paying jobs.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Southwest Michigan First reported that $5.8 billion+ in capital has been invested for recent and underway industrial projects in our region. Any new growth in our region will need to be supported by talented technical tradespeople with advanced training who can troubleshoot and adapt to new trends. Every new business will need someone to build it, staff it and maintain it. Every employee of new businesses will need a home built and repaired by skilled workers. Simply put, economic growth can't happen without a skilled workforce.