Mercedes-Benz U.S. International continues to be a major player in the Alabama economy, and the automaker using its vast resources to bolster workforce development around the state.

We reported earlier this week on the partnerships at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, which sports a wide variety of advanced workforce development programs, including an apprenticeship program with MBUSI.

Phil Johnston, vice president of engineering at MBUSI, said in an interview with theBirmingham Business Journal that the state economy stands to benefit in the event of community college education being made free to students.

"It would certainly help, but with that topic, especially given the amount of time I have worked for Mercedes and working in Germany, the strength of their economy and craft system is taken as a given there," he said. "Where the (proposal) goes in the U.S. is another thing, but it could be a great source of talent for industry and business."

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, told the BBJ that while access to post-secondary education deserves attention in Alabama, companies like MBUSI in Vance are finding ways to innovate education for the future.

"Alabama's workforce development efforts would benefit from more public-private partnerships like the one formed by Toyota and Calhoun and the 'Mechatronics' program established by Mercedes-Benz and Shelton State in Tuscaloosa," he said. "Apprenticeship-type programs that establish a career pathway for young Alabamians and provide a pipeline of skilled workers for Alabama companies would have a major impact if they could be launched on a broad scale."

With President Obama's proposal for free tuition in mind, Canfield said the increasingly tech-savvy workforce is changing the way employers recruit and train prospective workers.

"There is no question that expanding access to post-secondary education in Alabama would be beneficial, but President Obama's proposal raises a lot of questions, including how much it would cost and how it would affect state education budgets," he said. "That being said, we know that employers today are demanding a better-educated and more skilled worker. Technology is more crucial in the workplace today than ever, and that's simply not going to change."

Johnston agreed, pointing to the increased demand for graduates of two-year trade programs like the ones offered at MBUSI.

"The importance and requirements for the four-year schools will continue to climb, but there is a growth in demand for people coming out of the two-year system, and I wouldn't say it is a shift, but a change in the requirements of the workforce that is driving the growth in the system."

Currently, MBUSI has a yearly intake of 70 new students, Johnston said, with around 120 to 150 students in the various programs at any given time.

Despite the program's burgeoning popularity, MBUSI doesn't anticipate any substantial growth in the near future, due to the stability and scope of what is offered.

"Mercedes gets a lot of the fanfare because of our apprenticeship programs, but other great programs like Nucor Steel recently implemented an industrial maintanence training program," he said. "Then you have Phifer Wire who has been here for years with programs they have developed. Yes we need new programs, but there are people who have been here a long time that we can learn from."

Canfield then said the future could see more support for these programs from Montgomery, but the continuing partnership of business and education will ultimately work to drive the workforce into the 21st century.

"Down the road, the Alabama Legislature could consider adopting policies that encourage the promotion of these forward-thinking programs," he said. "There's a growing realization today, however, that career technical education and a skill credential can also lead to a high-paying job in Alabama. With a large number of skilled workers approaching retirement today, that trend is likely to become even pronounced."

Full Article: http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/morning_call/2015/02/what-free-community-college-would-mean-for.html?page=all