Bay College West receives $400,000 vocational training grant

Michigan’s unemployment numbers are higher than the national average but are showing signs of improvement. For the fourth year in a row, unemployment figures are going down.

Initiatives like Congressman Benishek’s vocational education program work with schools in Northern Michigan to give kids hands on technical training.

Benishek visited Bay College today and toured the campus with the Vice President to examine the facilities and discuss how they will use their $400,000 grant to build a vocational welding certificate program.

“The welding machines will be for arc welding, all types of equipment, machines, tables, cutters, the type of equipment that the metal can be worked together for training, lots of tools. Things that will allow for the ability to do all those things that is needed in this area,” said Patrick Kennedy, Vice President, Bay College West.

“There are jobs available in Michigan for those with the right skills and this grant helps community college put together a welding program here in Iron Mountain to be able to train young people for the jobs that are available in Michigan,” said Dr. Dan Benishek, U.S. Congressman.

The program will include a year’s worth of training with 30 credit hours needed to qualify.