SOUTHFIELD— Engineering and technical jobs are plenty in Michigan; qualified candidates are scarce. This new reality that began to impact Michigan almost a year ago is now reaching a critical stage and The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) and its Institute are working diligently to make Michigan the hub for engineers once again.
On October 1 ESD and its Institute will convene a group of leaders representing labor, business, academia and private organizations to address this issue, discuss possible solutions and create a blueprint for a viable, employable workforce. Panel representatives will be challenged to address the following question:
“If you were creating an employable workforce of factory, technical, and engineering talent, what would it look like and how would you implement it?”
Panelists include:
- Bill Sower, Director, Christopher and Virginia Sower Center for Successful Schools, South Lyon
- Mary Kovari, Principal, Detroit Institute of Technology High School
- Rich Wells – Vice President and Site Director Michigan Operations at Dow Chemical, Midland
- Christopher J. Webb, J.D., FESD, Co-Director, The Engineering Society of Detroit Institute
- Gail Mee, PhD – President, Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn
- Cindy Estrada – Vice President, International Union, UAW, Detroit
- Charles E. Hadden – President and CEO, Michigan Manufacturers Association President, Lansing
- Robert C. Sherer, Manufacturing Talent Director, Michigan Workforce Development Agency
- Rebecca Wenglinski, Program Manager, Talent Enhancement, MEDC
The event will be moderated by Fox2 News Anchor and Money Editor, Murray Feldman.
Cost is $35 for ESD members and $50 for non-members. To register, visit www.esd.org. For more information, call 248-353-0735.
The event will be followed by ESD’s Engineering & Technology Job Fair from 2 until 7 p.m., featuring dozens of hiring companies from throughout Michigan. The job fair is free to ESD members. Cost for non-members is $15 and includes a one-year free membership to ESD (offer good for first time members only). To register for the job fair, visit www.esd.org
