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President Kavalhuna talks about skilled trades on Mackinac Policy Conference panel

Release Date
Russ Kavalhuna participates on MPC panel

President Kavalhuna was invited to participate on the May 30, 2019 Mackinac Policy Conference panel titled "Closing the Gap: How Businesses Can Use Tuition-Free Community College to Meet Skills Requirements."

The Michigan skills gap is threatening the success of many businesses and the state’s future prosperity. This interactive panel explored how industries and individual businesses can work with community colleges to take advantage of tuition-free education for both graduating high school seniors and adults already in the workforce to meet their current and future skill needs.

Panel participants were:

  • Lynette Dowler, President DTE Energy Foundation
  • Russ Kavalhuna, President, Henry Ford College
  • Melanie D’Evelyn, Director, Detroit Drives Degrees, Detroit Regional Chamber
  • Doug Ross, Senior advisor for Michigan Prosperity, State of Michigan

One of the key messages President Kavalhuna shared with people seeking better jobs, salaries, and careers is: Invest in yourself through education. We will help you find your way to a meaningful career. The state is supporting it, higher education is supporting it, and we have a lot of business and industry partners at HFC who will provide the pathway you are looking for.

You can watch the entire panel discussion here. (53 minutes)

Left to right: Melanie D'Evelyn, Lynette Dowler, President Russ Kavalhuna, moderator Doug Ross