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(Please note: also available in Chinese)
The
M-TEC at KVCC was established as an economic development
initiative. Kalamazoo Valley Community College received a $5
million grant
from the
State of Michigan to build a training center for
the local
workforce. In addition, the community’s private sector
raised another $6 million to complete the $11 million facility.
Opened
in early 2001, the M-TEC with 70,000 square feet, is a collaborative
effort by the college and its partners (businesses, industries,
and foundations in the region) to deliver employer-driven training
in the 21st century.
M-TEC’s vision is to work in partnership
with local and state economic development agencies in assisting
businesses maintain and/or grow their businesses. It markets
employer-driven, performance-improvement, competency-based,
and rapid response customized training to provide a highly
skilled workforce for Southwest Michigan companies.
As part of the economic development team,
M-TEC is responsible for meeting the training needs of individual
businesses throughout Southwest Michigan. It works with businesses
to upgrade employee skills or train people to the skill level
needed.
More specifically,
M-TEC:
- Locates and evaluates existing cost effective training
programs and offers them to local industry
- Designs,
develops, and implements employer training that is:
- Based
on business needs
- Focused on “need-to-know”
- Geared toward the
adult learner
- Delivered using a variety of methods
- Learner-centered
- Competency-based
- Performance-based
- Partners with industry on specific
training needs (e.g., Flowserve’s
pump and seal regional customer
needs)
- Performs training at M-TEC facilities
or at the employer’s facilities
- Delivers a variety of
Career Development Seminars open
to the
public.
Delivery methods are not determined until the
audience, training objectives, and business needs have been
analyzed. Methods can be, but are not limited to, instructor-led,
locally or at a distance, CD-ROM based, Web-based, or any
combination. Training may be delivered in the M-TEC facility
or on-site at the customer facility. Based on the business
needs, the training may or may not be self-paced.
In
addition to training, M-TEC
- Provides a business incubator
environment for new start-up
businesses
- Sponsors entrepreneur
training
- Hosts forums on economic
development issues
- Provides
meeting facilities for area businesses
- Provides temporary
offices for visiting employees
of area businesses
- Partners with local economic development
efforts
The M-TEC facilities includes a 124 seat
amphitheatre with a 10-level, fan-shaped configuration, featuring
Internet capabilities. Interactive distance-learning and video-conferencing
facilities allow M-TEC trainees to take part in seminars held
at other locations.
The largest of the three multi-purpose labs
is dedicated to the trades and is 5,000 square feet. It contains
an installation to get workers comfortable laboring in confined
spaces. The other two labs are now dedicated to our partnership
with the Flowserve Corporation, and are used for various industry
and public training programs.
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