LMC Foundation Gives a Major Boost to Short Term Training Programs

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — The Lake Michigan College Foundation has established a $100 thousand dollar scholarship fund for non-credit short term training programs to help employers and workers in Southwest Michigan. 

“Employers and job providers have told us short term training opportunities like the LMC Truck Driving School, and the Marine Maintenance Technology program are in high demand,” explained Doug Schaffer, Vice President of Advancement and Community Impact. “Those programs, however, are not eligible for traditional financial aid like Pell grants or state scholarship programs. This is the LMC Foundation stepping in to fill a significant need in our community to help students with career opportunities,” Schaffer explained.  

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) 

Short term programs include the LMC Truck Driving School and the recently added Marine Maintenance Technology program. The CDL short term training program at LMC is in partnership with Regen Trucking School. All requirements are met in one three-week session at the South Haven campus. The career outlook for truck drivers is strong, with projected growth and high demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 5% growth rate for heavy and tractor trailer drivers over the next 10 years and a 9% growth rate for delivery truck drivers. Those statistics are both greater than the average for all occupations and with an aging workforce, thousands of opportunities exist across the Midwest. 

“We have a great deal of interest in truck driving, but the stumbling block has been the lack of financial aid for students,” said Jeremy Burleson, Associate Dean of the South Haven Campus, and Select Academic Programs. “The Lake Michigan College Foundation is paving the way for high paying jobs, and we are grateful to LMC donors and leaders for again removing barriers for people in our community. This is great news for our region and our students,” Burleson added.  

Marine Maintenance Technician  

In Michigan alone, there are more than one million registered boats, and thousands of boats and slips in Southwest Michigan. LMC’s Marine Maintenance Technician program   helps meet the growing demand in a seven-week training course. Through on-line and in person training, students work toward a lifetime Mercury Marine Technician number and prepare for the American Boat and Yacht Technology exam. The Marine Tech program is a partnership between LMC and Macomb Community College.  

“Marine owners up and down the coast are looking for techs, and this is another way Lake Michigan College meets the needs of our employers,” Burleson said.  

For information on short term training programs, contact Jeremy Burleson at JBurleson@lakemichigancollege.edu or call 269-637-7514.  

About Lake Michigan College  

Lake Michigan College is a two-year, accredited, nonprofit community college with its main campus in Benton Harbor, and additional instructional sites in Allegan, Niles and South Haven, Michigan. LMC serves as a cultural center, a regional economic partner, and a leader in innovation. It features the largest conference and performance center in the region and The Fab Lab, which is a high-tech, hands-on makerspace where creativity meets cutting-edge tools, empowering students and the community to design, prototype, and innovate. 

Established in 1946 as Benton Harbor Junior College, LMC is also the region’s leader in high quality, affordable higher education, offering associate degrees, certificates, and transfer programs in more than 80 fields of study, including business, health sciences, manufacturing, wine, and viticulture, culinary, and more. LMC offers national-title-winning intercollegiate athletic teams, on-campus housing, and a wealth of extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations to create an authentic college experience close to home. For more information, visit lakemichigancollege.edu.