A School News Network Feature – Collin Wooten likes fixing cars, completing maintenance services and replacing parts to make vehicles run smoothly and efficiently. “I’ve always liked cars and just working on them is really fun … I like the hands-on more than doing the computer work,” Wooten said as he replaced coolant in a 2002 Ford Ranger in the classroom/garage that houses the Automotive Technology Program at Grand Rapids Community College. Wooten is working on his associate degree in automotive technology. A 2020 Sparta High School graduate, Wooten began at GRCC with credits from three classes already under his toolbelt from courses he completed as a junior and senior: on brakes, steering and suspension, and an introductory course in the Kent Career Tech Center’s Automotive Technology Program. Now he’s taking classes in heating, ventilation and air conditioning and drivability diagnostics at GRCC, while working part time at an independent repair facility as a mechanic. He hopes to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering from Ferris State University. The proximity and partnerships between the GRCC and Tech Center programs and local dealerships are helping him make seamless transitions through his education. A Demand for Skilled Mechanics Wooten has reason to feel secure about job prospects. While the industry is ever-evolving in terms of technology and efficiency, the foundations of automotive repair will remain the same, say his instructors. Service technicians will still be needed to perform basic maintenance and repair tasks, such as replacing brake pads and changing oil. Those skills right now are in big demand. “There’s fairly consistently a shortage of qualified technicians in the field,” said Ben Smith, assistant professor in the GRCC Automotive Technology program. With about 70 people enrolled this year, Smith hopes to build numbers back up to about 100. “I don’t think people always think of it as a career choice,” he said. “You do pretty high-tech stuff; it’s not just the grunt work you think of from a mechanic. It’s a challenging career.” Many students are already working in body shops. “Most students, if they really want a job, there’s no doubt we can get them a job,” said Nathan Vannest, an instructor in the Tech Center program, where many students earn certifications for jobs and continue training at GRCC. Instructors Chris Yetzke and Mike Pekrul teach in both the GRCC and Tech Center programs. “The last time I checked, the average age of a technician in the U.S. was, I think, 53, so there’s a lot of people retiring,” Yetzke said. ‘Unlimited Opportunities for Pay and Growth’ GRCC partners with manufacturers to align curriculum with needed training, such as with Fiat Chrysler for the Mopar Career Automotive Program. In 2020, Mopar cited an increase in demand for 45,000 automotive technician jobs by 2026. With a median salary of $20.24 per hour, the GRCC associate or certification programs are direct avenues to automotive careers. GRCC offers an 18-week program that covers four out of the eight certification areas, a one-year certificate program that instructs all eight areas, and a two-year associate degree program. The associate degree program transfers to a bachelor’s degree program at Ferris State University, which is the route Wooten hopes to pursue. In terms of landing jobs, GRCC and the Tech Center’s auto tech programs have solid partnerships with employers. Matt Snyder, a corporate technical recruiter for Zeigler Automotive Group, works to find service technicians for 30 dealerships in three states. He partners with both the Tech Center and GRCC to help Zeigler dealerships recruit service technicians. “There is an unbelievable demand for skilled trades people in general. The automotive industry specifically is in dire need of service technicians,” Snyder said. “The programs at Kent ISD and GRCC do a great job of preparing students for an in-demand career with unlimited opportunities for growth and pay. A good technician can write their own ticket and live anywhere in the country they choose within reason. Top technicians are making anywhere from $80,000 to over $100,000 per year. The reality is that pay is not based upon degrees but upon skill set, certifications and work ethic.” Snyder cited a major reason for the demand being so great is that for many years high-school students have been pushed toward pursuing a bachelor’s degree regardless of outcomes. “There has been an idea/thought process that in order to be successful in life you had to have a four-year degree. High schools over the past 25 years have drastically reduced vocational education, cutting back or eliminating programs like metal shop, welding and automotive.” But that shortfall has created opportunities for those with an interest in pursuing a hands-on career, he said. “When the demand for your skill set is high and supply is low, that’s a winning combination for a person to have a great career outlook.”  The Tech Center and GRCC helps students build foundational skills so they can, in turn, build on those certifications over their careers, Yetzke said. “The technology changes, but the basics really don’t here; it’s more basic knowledge of the systems,” he said. “In this business you never quit learning.” Added Vannest: “We can give them a good start to that; GRCC can give them a better start to that. At the dealership, the learning will never stop.” This story was reported and photographed by Erin Albanese of the Kent School News Network .

Grand Rapids Community College and West Michigan Works! will lead a coalition of employers, workforce development organizations, educators and community groups to help underserved populations gain in-demand manufacturing skills with a focus on automation and artificial intelligence with help from a $9.8 million U.S. Department of Labor grant. The One Workforce for West Michigan Manufacturing project will help people who are unemployed or underemployed gain transformative academic and career skills with enhanced support. The program will build a talented workforce to fill existing job openings and prepare for the future of manufacturing, helping residents and the region as a whole. GRCC was one of 19 organizations in the nation and two in Michigan to earn grants in the program. “This grant is one in a series of funding opportunities helping GRCC and our partners get our region back to work -- and in this case, the manufacturing community is the beneficiary,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “The number of entities coming together on this project shows how cooperation and collaboration makes our region grow and thrive. West Michigan is strongest when all of its people have access to opportunities. We appreciate the Department of Labor’s support in our efforts.” The One Workforce coalition includes employer partners Autocam-Medical; Scherdel Sales & Technology; GE Aviation; JR Automation; LG Chem; Magna; Howmet; Aggressive Tooling; Steeplechase Tool & Die; Montcalm and Muskegon community colleges; West Michigan Works!; Discover Manufacturing Sector Group; and the Agribusiness Talent Council; and community agencies Grand Rapids Urban League, West Michigan Hispanic Center, and Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids. “This coalition will not only provide much-needed skilled talent to our employers, but much-needed resources to some of our residents being left behind,” said Jacob Maas, West Michigan Works! CEO. “West Michigan is home to many amazing community colleges, community-based organizations and employers. We are grateful to be a part of this effort and excited to build on previous successful collaboratives.” Advanced manufacturing is a vibrant, dynamic and growing industry throughout the state, but especially in West Michigan. More than 600,000 people are employed in the manufacturing cluster, and the fields provide a variety of sustainable employment opportunities and upward mobility as they advance along a postsecondary career pathway. The program’s community partners will help identify potential students, focusing on people who are low-income, have language barriers, lack foundational skills, or face other barriers to success. “This funding opportunity will allow GRCC and our community college partners to update and add programming in manufacturing automation, and begin to build data analysis and other skills needed to work with artificial intelligence and data in manufacturing,” said Julie Parks, GRCC’s executive director for Workforce Training. “This grant will assist in preparing West Michigan for the future of manufacturing through a holistic approach.” The Labor Department focused on public-private partnerships to leverage federal, state and local resources, as well as from the private sector to support training, employment services and supportive services to increase access to employment opportunities. “The U.S. Department of Labor is challenging communities to think as ‘One Workforce,’” John Pallasch, assistant secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, said in a release. “In a post-coronavirus world, it is critical that local organizations think as one instead of independent parts of a process. Our goal is to create seamless community partnerships to build career pathways for local job seekers to enter middle- to high-skilled occupations in cyber security, advanced manufacturing and transportation.” GRCC has earned more than $16 million in grants in recent weeks, all aimed at helping build the West Michigan community and economy through education. The Labor Department awarded a $5 million grant to build capacity at GRCC and four other Michigan community colleges to meet regional healthcare employers' demands for a skilled workforce through the department’s Strengthening Community College Training program. GRCC also earned a $1 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to connect people in vulnerable populations to career opportunities related to the city's river restoration projects, infrastructure, and public works.  Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college – and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.    

The Michigan Reconnect scholarship removes cost as a barrier to a Grand Rapids Community College education, providing opportunities for life-changing degrees or occupational certificates for residents age 25 and older. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today revealed details of the program, which covers the cost of tuition for eligible students living within the boundaries of the Kent Intermediate School District. Others would pay the difference between the resident and non-resident rate tuition – a substantial savings.  Applications are now available at Michigan.gov/reconnect . “Many of students and others in our community are experiencing financial difficulties during the pandemic. Reconnect will remove tuition as an obstacle to getting a quality GRCC education,” President Bill Pink said. “We are committed to other supports to help students take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity, from academic assistance to schedules accommodating home and work responsibilities. We are a partner in our students’ success. No one should feel they are taking these steps alone.” Pink said the state scholarship is ideal for people who needed to put their education on hold, or who were unable to start. An associate degree or career-focused certificate can help students move ahead in their work or gain new jobs. The program is part of Whitmer’s goal of having 60% of working-age Michiganders earning a college degree or certificate by 2030. It’s a last-dollar scholarship, meaning applicants must also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to determine their federal Pell grant eligibility.  Financial Aid experts can help with questions at (616) 234-4030. The scholarship is for people age 25 and older who have not previously earned a college degree. Applicants must have lived in the state for a year or more, have a high school diploma or GED and not be in default on a federal student loan. Currently enrolled students are eligible.  Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said the Reconnect program can make Grand Rapids and West Michigan as a whole stronger. “The Reconnect program provides a valuable pathway at GRCC for individuals in our community and is an incredible opportunity for economic mobility as well as filling the skills gap,” Bliss said. GRCC has created personalized ways to connect with people interested in the Reconnect program, with specialists available via email at reconnect@grcc.edu, phone at (616) 234-3366 and by text at (616) 504-6178. Additional information is available at grcc.edu/reconnect . The college also has scheduled Information sessions to learn about how to take advantage of the program and enroll in GRCC. English sessions are planned for: Friday, Feb. 5, at noon. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 9 a.m. Monday, March 8, at 6 p.m. Spanish sessions are planned for: Thursday, Feb. 11, at noon. Tuesday, March 2 at 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 24 at 6 p.m. Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college -- and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.

Start at GRCC and go anywhere! Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC – or Grand Rapids Junior College – gave them the education and opportunity to be successful. We’re sharing some of those stories, and want to hear yours! Retired Col. Scott Haraburda is a decorated Army veteran, engineer, munitions expert, and inventor. Plus, he’s an author, judo champion, chemistry professor -- and even a Herpolsheimer's department store Santa. It all started at Grand Rapids Junior College, which Harabruda started attending while still a Creston High School student.  “I came to ‘JC’ because it allowed an opportunity for me as a high school student to take classes before I graduated,” he said, joking that he enjoyed “blowing things up, doing weird things with chemicals.”  Haraburda tutored classmates in science and math, and enlisted in the Army Reserves to pay for classes, earning his associate degree in 1981.  He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Central Michigan University, where he today is a member of the CMU ROTC Hall of Fame. He then earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College -- teaching chemistry classes while there -- and master's and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from Michigan State University. He served in the Army from 1981 through 2010, including a 2007 deployment to Kuwait to correct logistics problems in the war zone. He was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.  Haraburda is an inventor, making key contributions to the development of heat exchangers and spacecraft propulsion. He holds two U.S. patents and has seven patent requests pending. In 2013, the National Society of Professional Engineers named Haraburda a Fellow, and he served as president of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers from 2014-15. He’s also a black belt, winning the Indiana Men's Master Middleweight Judo Championship title in 1998. “I can attest that Grand Rapids Community College gave me a strong foundation of knowledge, which helped me through everything I’d done,” he said after being named GRCC Distinguished Alumni in 2017. “The teachers here instilled a sense of community pride. I saw that from the teachers and the staff when I was a student here and I took that to heart.” Let GRCC help you start your story. The first chapter starts at grcc.edu/apply. And tell us your story here: https://www.grcc.edu/communications/shareyourgrccstory

Sekou Smith was known as an outstanding journalist, covering the NBA for 20 years. But tributes pouring in from across the sporting world noted he was an even better person. Smith, who passed away this week at age 48 due to complications of COVID-19, was a Grand Rapids native and attended Grand Rapids Junior College and Grand Rapids Community College between 1990 and 1992. Smith most recently was an analyst for NBA TV and a writer for NBA.com, penning the “MVP Weekly” column and hosting the popular “Hang Time” podcast. “Sekou Smith shined brightly and it’s heartbreaking to lose someone so young and talented,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “Rather than focus on the pain of his loss, we can celebrate an amazing life and career of someone who made a difference to basketball fans around the country and around the world.  Sekou is an inspiration to GRCC students today and always. The GRCC family sends its deepest condolences to Sekou’s family and friends.” After leaving GRCC, Smith attended Jackson State University in Mississippi, where he became interested in journalism. He started at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, then moved up to covering the Indianapolis Pacers for the Indianapolis Star, then the Atlanta Hawks for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He connected with the NBA’s media teams starting in 2009. ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps wrote that Smith “was universally beloved within the basketball world, both for the work he produced in his nearly two decades covering the sport and, more importantly, for being a kind and decent person, one with an ever-present smile and a wonderful laugh.” NBA stars past and present posted tributes on social media, including Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade, and coaches Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy. “The NBA mourns the passing of Sekou Smith, a beloved member of the NBA family,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver posted on the league’s website. “Sekou was one of the most affable and dedicated reporters in the NBA and a terrific friend to so many across the league. He covered the game for more than two decades, including the past 11 years with Turner Sports, where he showed his full range of skills as an engaging television analyst, podcast host and writer. Sekou’s love of basketball was clear to everyone who knew him and it always shined through in his work.  Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife, Heather, and their children, Gabriel, Rielly and Cameron.” Photo by Tareia Williams, courtesy Turner Sports.        

Nearly 2,900 people have been accepted to attend Grand Rapids Community College through Futures for Frontliners so far – but the deadline is approaching for others interested in the state scholarship program to take the final steps. Futures for Frontliners provides a pathway to an associate degree or a technical certificate for those who worked in essential industries during the COVID-19 shutdown last spring. Students living within the boundaries of the Kent Intermediate School District can attend tuition free, while others pay the difference between the resident and non-resident rate tuition – a substantial savings. Feb. 1 is the deadline for people who filed applications to the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to submit required information, including employment verification. GRCC specialists can assist with last-minute questions through email at futures4frontliners@grcc.edu, the telephone hotline at (616) 234-3344, through text at (616) 404-4519, and through the webpage, grcc.edu/futuresforfrontliners . “This is a fantastic opportunity for students of all ages to advance in their careers with a GRCC education, tuition-free,” said Tina Hoxie, GRCC’s associate provost and dean of Student Affairs. “This is available for new students, and also for those who want to pick up where they left off and finish a degree or certificate. We don’t want anyone to miss the final deadline. Our specialists also can assist with the financial aid forms and answer questions about enrolling at GRCC.” More than 120,000 people statewide applied for the scholarships, which are part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal of having 60% of working-age Michiganders earning a college degree or certificate by 2030. Of the nearly 2,900 accepted by the state to attend GRCC through the program, about 1,600 are enrolled in winter semester classes. The state is reviewing applications from several thousand more students, awaiting employment verification and other information. The Futures for Frontliners program is aimed at those who worked at least half-time in frontline jobs for 11 of the 13 weeks between April 1 and June 30 and who do not have a college degree. Eligible frontline industry examples include – but are not limited to -- food and agriculture; healthcare and public health; critical manufacturing; communications and information technology, including news media; law enforcement, public safety, and first responders; public works; and transportation and logistics. Students can use the scholarship to enroll in late-starting winter semester classes as well as summer and fall 2021 classes. Grand Rapids Community College offers learners of all ages opportunities to gain credits for degrees or transfer and in-demand career skills leading to rewarding careers. GRCC was established in 1914 – Michigan’s first community college – and offers affordable classes on weekdays, evenings, Saturdays and online at locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties.  

Grand Rapids Community College’s nationally ranked volleyball team will start its season next month -- but without fans in the stands, following Michigan Community College Athletic Association health and wellness guidelines during the pandemic. Raiders fans will still be able to follow the action online through a new partnership with the Michigan Sports Radio. All home volleyball and basketball home games will be streamed through the organization’s website, michigansportsradio.com , including postseason games. Games will be archived on the GRCC Athletics YouTube channe l. “The safety and wellness of our student athletes is our top priority,” Interim Athletic Director Dave Selmon said. “While we’re disappointed fans can’t cheer on the Raiders in person, we’re glad we can show the games online. This partnership will allow people to enjoy the games, whether they are here in Grand Rapids or around the world.” The Raiders volleyball team, ranked fourth in the nation in the first poll National Junior College Athletic Association poll, is scheduled to take on Glen Oaks Community College at home on Feb. 12. The team is scheduled to play four more home matches, on March 12 against Lake Michigan College, March 16 against Kellogg Community College, March 19 against Ancilla College, and March 26 against Muskegon Community College.  The volleyball finished fifth in the nation at the NJCAA Division II tournament, the second-highest finish in program history. The team has qualified for the national tournament 10 times since Coach Chip Will took the helm in 2007. The volleyball season typically runs from August through November. The decision to run a shortened, 10-game regular season and play without fans per the MCCAA guidelines. NJCAA Region 12 is working on a plan for the upcoming men's and women's basketball seasons. The GRCC Athletic Department will announce the starting dates for those sports as soon as they are available.