The Detroit Garment Group and Henry Ford College have partnered with three other state colleges to create the Michigan Industrial Sewing Consortium and expand its nearly one-year old Industrial Sewing Certificate Program statewide.
“The goal is to make Michigan the state for the cut and sew manufacturing industry, with business attraction and job creation at its core,” says Karen Buscemi, Detroit Garment Group founder and president. “By forming the MISC, we can ensure consistent, high-quality training for industrial sewing, pattern making, and sewing machine repair throughout the state of Michigan.”
In October 2014, the Detroit Garment Group launched the state’s first Industrial Sewing Certificate Program with the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance Michigan Works! and the Lear Corp. The program will now be expanded with partnerships with Grand Rapids Community College, Lansing Community College, and St. Clair County Community College.
“The MISC partners will also work together to take the Industrial Sewing Certificate Program to the next level, ensuring the delivery of competency-based training by utilizing performance-based objectives through project-based learning,” Buscemi says.
She says the Industrial Sewing Certificate Program is targeted to the unemployed and underemployed to provide a skilled trade that will result in a potential lifetime of employment and good wages. Michigan Works! identifies and procures funding through the state of Michigan for those who qualify, and both DGG and Michigan Works! assists with job placement for students who complete the program.
Besides Southfield-based Lear Corp., International Automotive Components, with North American regional headquarters in Southfield, has also joined on as a corporate sponsor.
For more information about the Industrial Sewing Certificate program or MISC, visit DGG’s website at detroitgarmentgroup.org or contact Buscemi at 248-722-8407.
