EAST LANSING, Mich. — Some mid-Michigan workers are learning the skills necessary for jobs in the bioeconomy by training for a week at an ethanol plant as part of a Michigan State University work force development program.

After six days of bioethanol classes and in-plant training sessions, a group of 23 residents are preparing to return Sunday, Jan. 28, to mid-Michigan from Edwardsville, Ill. They bring back important lessons from experts at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, a small scale, fully operational fuel ethanol production facility used by industry for process experimentation.

Organized by MSU, the biorefinery operations training is an activity of the Mid-Michigan Innovation Team (MMIT), funded through a $15 million Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant from the
U. S. Department of Labor. The grant was awarded in February 2006.

"Targeted training to prepare the state’s citizens for the emerging biobased economy reflects MSU’s land-grant heritage and is just one example of our commitment to pursue institutional Boldness by Design," said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. "In coming weeks, MSU will announce additional related efforts, as we aim to complement our bioethanol training offerings in Illinois with new biodiesel training offered locally."

"As Michigan diversifies its economy, Michigan workers will need to be prepared to build and operate many types of biorefineries," said David C. Hollister, president of the Lansing-based Prima Civitas Foundation, who leads the MMIT endeavor.

"We are looking at a new industrial sector, and the Mid-Michigan Innovation Team is committed to preparing regional workers to hit the ground running as biofuel plants appear. We'll be well positioned in this state as the epicenter for biomass and ethanol products and services."

Participants in the initial training program included representatives of mid-Michigan skilled trades, regional education and training providers, and workers looking to gain new skills needed in the emerging biobased economy.

"Some of the trainees have experience building ethanol plants; others are looking to pursue second careers," said Tom Deits, chairperson of Lansing Community College's science department and a participant in the training program. "I came to find out what people need to know to get a job in this field. I think this kind of classroom work could be done effectively in Michigan."

Demand for seats in the inaugural training session outstripped availability, and MSU is arranging a second six-day session in March to accommodate the waitlist. Follow-up placement assistance will be offered to attendees seeking employment in the biofuels industry.

To learn more about the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, visit http://www.ethanolresearch.com/.

For more information on future bioethanol training, call (517) 432-4499.

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