Havlicek is the president of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber. He said the Berrien Talent Collaborative, announced Friday, aims to combat the shortage.
Havlicek said the program it will match high schoolers with local apprenticeship programs.
“What this boils down to is, proving that there is opportunity right here at home, and you do not have to leave this region — Berrien, Cass, or Van Buren County — to get a well-paying, high-skilled job,” Havlicek said.
The SMRC is one of four organizations in the Collaborative. The Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce is another. Executive director Ryan Boeskool said the program will go a long way toward reviving the region's skilled-labor pool.
“This is another way to get our local manufacturers thinking about, ‘how do we create a more effective pipeline to bring talent in,'” Boeskool said.
Students can also train at the Berrien Innovation Center, formerly the Lake Michigan College Niles Campus, donated by the college for the program.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
