OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan — Robotics and automation constitute one of the fastest-growing classifications of job growth in Southeast Michigan and is a top workforce priority for advanced manufacturing companies in the region. For every three jobs expected to be open in the years ahead, only one graduate is expected to have completed the relevant training programs to fill one of those openings.
To address the demand for talent from these companies today and in the future, Oakland Community College, in partnership with the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan, Oakland County Michigan Works!, offers a PLC and Robotics Technician Program. The curriculum, designed to prepare individuals for a career in advanced manufacturing, offers industry-recognized certifications including FANUC Level I and OSHA 10 Safety. Students also may choose to take the PMMI PLC 1 Certification Exam.
The program is offered at no charge to qualified participants through America’s Promise, locally called 
Advance Michigan Catalyst, a US Department Labor Grant funded to provide occupational
training in robotics and automation pathways.
Students can learn more about the program at two free information sessions: 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, and 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 14. Both will take place in Room 242 of the M-TEC building on OCC’s Auburn Hills campus, 2900 Featherstone Road.
According to program leaders, 40 students have graduated in the program’s first three cohorts. “These students were driven to perform, and now that they are armed with high-demand skills, they have the power to excel,” says OCC Chancellor Peter Provenzano.
Advance registration for the information sessions is required. Call (248) 232-4169 or register online.
According to payscale.com, entry-level robotics technicians earn an average of $39,000-plus — and more than that if they have greater technical competencies and more related experience. Over the past decade, the region has recovered 11,614 robotics and automation jobs, increasing employment 44.7 percent to 37,622 workers. Projections indicate an additional 1,500 net new jobs by 2026 with about 1,535 individuals needed every year to fill turnovers and retirements.
The robots can’t do it without you. All resistance is futile.
About OCC
With multi campus system in Oakland County, OCC is Michigan’s No. 1 transfer institution, offering nearly 100 degrees and certificates. The College empowers academic and developmental experiences, allowing students to reach their potential and enhance their communities. 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.
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Media Contact: Marketing & Community Relations | (248) 341-2020 | contactus@oaklandcc.edu