OCC's New Jobs Training Seeing Pay-Off

OAKLAND COUNTY (WWJ) - Three local companies are adding 322 new jobs, once those workers are trained at Oakland Community College (OCC). WWJ Newsradio 950 Reporter Mike Campbell got the scoop on the story during the Oakland County Economic Forecast.

A local community college used the upbeat Oakland County Economic Forecast event to show-off its success with a new state program. The "Michigan New Jobs Training Program" partners state and local governments with community colleges to provide free training for employees of companies if they locate in Michigan.

Chancellor Tim Meyer says OCC is a partner in the Michigan New Jobs Training Program, which aims at enticing companies to locate or expand in the county with 'free' training for future workers. And it may be the first such partnership to produce a real measurable return: three companies locating in Oakland County bringing 322 jobs.

"First there's a quality of education.  It's important to have employees that have a basic and profound understanding of their  training needs.  The second is that we're able to provide education at no cost through the Michigan New Jobs Training Program , which permits new companies that are coming in that are creating new employment to have their workers trained at no cost," says Meyer.

OCC is particularly suited for this program, Meyer says, because it has the largest workforce training and development program in the state --160 programs which will meet the needs of just about any company -- and the largest freshman class among colleges in Michigan -- which means there are plenty of candidates for training and future employees for the companies looking for a place -- and/or a reason -- to locate in Oakland County.