PETOSKEY, Mich. — A new state award will pay for fast-track job training in boat repair, welding and machining at North Central Michigan College, part of Michigan’s push to rebuild a workforce for shipbuilding and the Great Lakes boating trade.
The college is receiving $630,876 from the Michigan Industry-Driven Skills Training Program, a program run by the state labor and economic opportunity department. The money covers three short certificate programs offering 80 training seats spread over 11 planned cohorts through 2028.
The largest focus is marine service. That certificate runs 14 weeks and 200 contact hours and follows the American Boat and Yacht Council’s fundamentals curriculum, teaching students to work on boat wiring, engines and propulsion, onboard electronics, troubleshooting, plumbing and rigging, along with safety. The first marine cohort is set to begin in fall 2027, with two more in 2028.
A welding and metal fabrication certificate, also 14 weeks, totals 153 contact hours and is aligned with American Welding Society Level I skills, with simulators added for extra practice and assessment. A 10-week, 80-hour CNC operator course rounds out the package, teaching machine programming, setup, precision measurement and quality checks.
The grant also pays for training equipment, instructor development and recruiting working professionals to teach. Regional marine employers and the Michigan Boating Industries Association backed the effort, pointing to a shortage of technicians who can handle increasingly complex boat systems.
The statewide program behind the award grew out of an $8 million U.S. Department of Labor grant the state landed in October 2025 to train workers for shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing. It is organized around a Michigan Maritime Employer-Led Collaborative, in which shipbuilders, suppliers, recreational boating businesses and manufacturers set training priorities together, and it builds on the state’s $50 million Michigan Maritime Manufacturing Initiative.
From the HERE City State Desk.
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