Pontiac, Michigan – Unemployed or underemployed persons interested in pursuing a new post-pandemic career in the robotics industry are invited to apply for a spot in an upcoming training program for programmable logic controller (PLC) and robotics technicians, both of which are in high demand across southeast Michigan.

The program is administered by Oakland County Michigan Works!, in partnership with Oakland Community College (OCC) and the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan. Since its launch in 2017, the program has graduated 129 people, with 80 percent now working full-time in the field. The next cohort starts on July 19.

“During this year’s Oakland County Economic Outlook presentation, economists from the University of Michigan noted that automation will continue to play a significant role in manufacturing operations,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “This training program presents an ideal opportunity for people impacted by the pandemic to obtain new skills and pursue a new career path in our region.”

Federal and state grants cover the 14-week program’s $7,000 tuition for eligible participants, who must have a high school diploma or equivalent. In addition to classroom work, 70 percent of the instruction takes place in robotics labs at OCC.

“This is a very hands-on training program and those who complete it acquire the certifications needed to step right into a variety of jobs with robotics manufacturers and system integrators in our region,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works! “Once hired, they often have the opportunity to continue their education and obtain advanced degrees, leading to additional career advancement.”

According to OCC Program Manager Kristen Charlton, many robotics-related positions in southeast Michigan are in automotive manufacturing, but she said demand for PLC and robotics technicians is expanding quickly into other industries, including the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, food preparation and e-commerce fulfilment.

Several of the training program’s most recent graduates secured full-time employment with Amazon, which has opened several distribution centers in southeast Michigan. Other companies that have hired program graduates include Treva Corporation, Encore Automation, American Axle, Magna Cosma, Gabletek, Esys Automation, ABB, FANUC America, and Tyson Foods, among others. Starting pay ranges from $19-$25 per hour, with experienced PLC and robotics technicians earning up to $35 per hour.

“Employers like the fact that our curriculum covers both PLC and robotics technician functions and we take a big picture look at preparing our students,” Charlton said. “We try to remain flexible, so we can adjust our curriculum and skills development to the changing needs of the employers who hire many of our students upon graduation.”

Oakland County Michigan Works! operates service centers in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy, and Waterford. Combined, they assist more than 105,000 job seekers annually. Services include career coaching, interviewing and job search workshops, placement assistance, training courses and job trend information.

The service centers also assist more than 3,000 employers seeking assistance with talent recruitment, apprenticeship programs, job fairs, candidate pre-screening, hiring and training support, layoff support and labor market data.

Service center staff remain available by virtual appointment to work one-on-one with job seekers to build their resumes, prepare for job interviews and help address other needs. To schedule a virtual meeting, call 1-248-858-5520 and select the office nearest to you. The service centers are hosting several virtual workshops for job seekers. A schedule can be found at OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.

About OCC

Offering nearly 100 degrees and certificates, OCC is Michigan’s largest multi-campus community college and No. 1 transfer institution in the state. The College provides academic, career training and enriching experiences, designed to empower students to reach their potential and enhance our community. More than 1 million students have enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. A seven-person Board of Trustees governs OCC. Board members are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis, serve as volunteers and are not paid. Mission statement: OCC is committed to empowering our students to succeed and advancing our community. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.

Waterford, Michigan – Oakland County is launching a series of free Local Business Connect community events next week to bring valuable support and resources directly to small business owners emerging from the pandemic. The program, which runs from 8:00-10:30 a.m., includes stops at the following :

• Tuesday, July 13, Oak Park City Hall Campus Community Center, 14300 Oak Park Blvd, Oak Park
• Wednesday, July 14, Embassy Suites by Hilton, 850 Tower Drive, Troy
• Thursday, July 15, Baker’s of Milford Restaurant, 2025 S. Milford Rd., Milford
• Tuesday, July 20, Flagstar Strand Theatre for The Performing of Arts, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac
• Wednesday, July 21, Old Town Hall, 486 Mill St., Ortonville
• Thursday, July 22, Lake Orion United Methodist Church, 140 E. Flint St., Lake Orion
• Wednesday, July 28, Salvation Army, 27500 Shiawassee Rd., Farmington Hills

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our county and we recognize the many challenges they face as they emerge from the pandemic,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “Local Business Connect will offer fresh ideas to help our businesses bounce back and flourish. Over the long term, we want to make this program a mainstay in Oakland County’s economic development strategy.”

Session titles and speakers include:

• “Financial Management,” by Meri Dembrow, senior business consultant, Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Lansing. She will provide examples of financial analysis for marketing and pricing.
• “A Short, Action-Oriented Business Plan,” by Diana Dimitroff, senior business consultant, SBDC, Lansing. She will discuss revisiting a business plan while emerging from the pandemic and making changes to operations; welcoming past customers and attracting new ones.
• “Maximizing Your Online Presence,” by Son Tran, founder of Pitch Black Media, Ferndale. He will discuss properly listing your business online, growing location-based searches, and optimizing your digital marketing channels.

In addition to the speakers, several other professionals will be on hand to meet with attendees for information sharing and networking. These include representatives from the Oakland County Department of Economic Development’s leadership team, as well as CEED Lending, Chaldean Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Oakland County, Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, Michigan Small Business Development Center, Oakland County Business Finance Corporation, Oakland County Michigan Works!, Oakland County Veterans’ Services, and Pitch Black Media.

“The tenacity and resolve shown by our business owners—utilizing all the resources and support from their chambers and downtown economic development organizations—has gotten them to the other side of the pandemic challenges. We owe it to them to keep the resources and information flowing so they can move forward and thrive,” said Joy Wells, executive director of the South Oakland Area Regional Chamber of Commerce. “The business community is grateful for the continued support from Oakland County, including the launch of the Local Business Connect program. The chamber and county partnership will play an important role in the recovery of our business community.”

Pre-registration is required. To register, go to OakGov.com/SmallBusiness. For information, small business owners may contact Erick Phillips at [email protected].

According to the Small Business Pulse Survey, administered by the U.S. Census Bureau last month, small businesses in Michigan are faced with challenges beyond a worker shortage. In the next six months, 27 percent say they must increase marketing or sales; 20 percent say supply chain issues also are a concern. Likewise, the need to make a capital expenditure is an issue for 20 percent of respondents. Financial assistance or additional capital will be an expected challenge for 10.4 percent of the state respondents.

Despite this, some Michigan small businesses are bullish on their operations returning to a pre-pandemic level. The survey reported 24 percent of respondents saying things have already returned to normal. Others have taken a more measured approach, with 5.5 percent saying business will return to a normal level of operation in 2-3 months, while 12 percent say this will occur within 4-6 months. There are many, however, with pessimistic outlooks: 34.1 percent think it will take more than six months for normal operations to return; 8.6 percent do not think normal operations will ever return.

“This U.S. Census Bureau survey indicates small businesses continue to face a number of real challenges, even as Michigan has eliminated its pandemic restrictions and life is starting to return to normal,” said Oakland County Economic Development Director Ingrid Schuster Tighe. “Our goal is to help accelerate their recovery by introducing them to experts who have proven, real-world strategies for helping them tackle these issues head-on and succeed.”