A range of jobs in the skilled trades, as well as engineering positions, are available at a number of Marshall area employers, including Eaton, Tenneco, Tribal Manufacturing, Autocam and Marshall Excelsior. And there are many opportunities on the horizon with Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan scheduled to open in 2026.
Educators at Marshall Public Schools and Kellogg Community College are working today to ensure young people in the region have the skills they need to take advantage of these jobs now and long into the future.
Large-scale employers in a variety of sectors, including manufacturing and emerging technology, are creating new career pathways for young people now and into the future. Training for skilled-trade opportunities exists through hands-on programs at Marshall Public Schools and Kellogg Community College (KCC).
Young people in southwest Michigan have a variety of available training and workforce education programs so they can have fulfilling careers near home. A range of area manufacturers have great prospects for local students that will allow them to stay here in Marshall and not have to move somewhere else to get a job.
Whether it’s electrical engineers at Eaton or skilled tradesmen at Tenneco, these opportunities are creating a new talent pipeline that encourages talented young people who have training and skills to fill good-paying jobs right here in our region.
Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park Michigan will create 1,700 local jobs when the facility opens in 2026 and begins producing batteries for electric vehicles. Walbridge is constructing the Ford facility and the company is seeking to work with a variety of subcontractors and vendors.
Kellogg Community College Eastern Academic Center (EAC) is an innovative, community driven facility located in Albion, serving both Calhoun and Branch counties. The EAC Career and Technical Education (CTE) Renovation Project includes a new 1,300-square-foot welding lab and 900-square-foot electrical and mechatronics lab. The welding lab includes eight welding stations and associated equipment to expand KCC’s welder training into eastern Calhoun County. The EAC offers industrial trades programs in electricity as well as electronics, maintenance technician, and welding.
"Students are excited about the opportunities to be able to work and live and play here locally in the Marshall Albion area. They're excited about hands-on learning and they're excited about the challenges they'll be presented with in terms of new technology," said Scott Cubberly, director of the center.
The Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC) at Kellogg Community College (KCC) is home to KCC’s Industrial Trades and Workforce Solutions department. The department’s innovative approach provides training on a walk-in basis or scheduled to meet production schedules; and can happen at the worksite, RMTC, or any other community location.
Also among KCC's facilities is the Eastern Academic Center, located at 14055 26 Mile Road in Albion, just off of I-94. The nearly 20,000-square-foot facility opened in 2001 and it includes a new welding lab as well as a electrical and mechatronics lab. The welding lab includes eight welding stations and associated equipment to expand KCC’s welder training into eastern Calhoun County.
Marshall area companies benefit from numerous programs offered by organizations and higher-learning institutions. These offerings help employees enhance skills, assist management to implement innovative strategies, and ultimately grow their businesses. Learn more about some of these programs below.
Michigan Works! Association has a history of innovation to provide service and support to the Michigan workforce development system, and is an integral partner in the state’s economic future. Services include screening and hiring programs, on-the-job training funds, worker opportunity tax credits and ongoing training strategies. Connect with Michigan Works Southwest online.
Assisting small and medium-sized businesses since 1991, The Center provides seminars, training, and other services to help develop business leaders, drive innovation, and promote strategies for businesses to grow and achieve greater profitability. Learn more about The Center’s offerings here.
Apprenticeship.gov is the one-stop source to connect career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources. It features apprenticeships across industries, information about programs started by employers, and ways to become an apprentice.
Michigan Works and Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA), along with the Calhoun County Intermediate School District, have State Apprenticeship Expansion grant funding to assist with out-of-school and in-school youth pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship funding. Kellogg Community College has information about apprenticeships and related opportunities on its website.
NN/Autocam partners with local schools to provide apprenticeships and cooperative education paths for students interested in machining, manufacturing, and maintenance roles. It operates in various forms based on the partner school and the site, but structurally each gives participants an opportunity to earn technical course credits or a degree while they work. This “learning in context” provides a variety of options to help employees develop technical skills through a combination of academic and on-the-job experiences. More information is available online and in the video below.
Michigan Intermediate School Districts (ISD) are governmental agencies organized at the county or multi-county level that partner with and assist local school districts to provide programs and services. The Calhoun County ISD is a key partner in Marshall’s workforce development. The Calhoun Area Career Center works to educate students and foster their growth in skills necessary for success.
