Lay-Off Assistance Leads to Graduating with Honors and New Employment

At the time of Rexam’s closing in Constantine, Bruce was making $21.50 per hour. He, both a husband and father, was left unsure of what to pursue as a stable career that could support his family. Due to his lay-off, he was referred to Michigan Works! Southwest for services. Staff provided him with labor market information to assist in making an informed career choice, ultimately leading to Bruce’s decision to participate in General Maintenance and Industrial Mechanics training. From there, he chose to enroll in a local community college to obtain his associate degree in General Maintenance and was able to receive additional assistance from Michigan Works! Southwest for mileage reimbursement and funding to pay for the degree.

Bruce graduated with honors and obtained employment at Sturgis Molded Products. During his tenure with his new employer, Bruce has career-laddered within the company, and is now a Robotics Technician making $25.00 per hour.