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DTE Looking For A Few Good Veterans -- For Power Plant Training

DETROIT -- After the success of recruiting and training veterans for natural gas field positions, DTE Energy is starting a new "boot camp" to train veterans to become instrument and control technicians in the company's fleet of power plants.

The Fossil Generation Boot Camp will begin July 22 through Schoolcraft Community College in Livonia. There are 15 training slots available and at least 10 employment opportunities at the end of training.

"Our veterans are a highly skilled group of people, and the government has already made a significant investment in their training," said Frank Warren, DTE Energy vice president for fossil generation. "They're a tremendous resource, but despite the unemployment statistics, they've been difficult to recruit."

Michigan has the highest veteran unemployment rate in the country -- 30 percent -- and for some Michigan-based military units, unemployment is nearing 40 percent.

DTE Energy is hoping to help change that. The company played a leading role in the creation of last year's Natural Gas Boot Camp, a seven-week pilot program that prepared Michigan veterans for jobs as maintenance fitter apprentices.

The Michigan National Guard will help identify potential students based on their skills, experience and aptitude for the job. While there is no guarantee of employment, Boot Camp students who successfully complete the training are expected to be well-qualified and ready to start careers in the energy industry upon graduation.

The initial four week-training will involve a distance learning approach through a home computer. If a home computer isn't available, there will be two locations in Livonia where they will be made available. The second part of the training, which will conclude Sept. 27, will be at Michigan Institute of Aviation Technology's College of Technology in Canton Township.

Veterans should have graduated high school or have a GED, completed two years of at least high school algebra and physics, and have at least 4 ½ years of equivalent instrument and control experience, including two years of process controls system experience.

Interested veterans should contact SEMCA Michigan Works at energyjobs@semca.org

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