Discover Northeast Michigan

Northern Michigan Aggregates, Inc. manufacturers slag and natural aggregate products.  Aggregates are used for dense graded bases such as road shoulders and under cement concrete slabs, surfacing driveways, roads, and parking lots, ballast aggregate for rubber roofing systems, and decorative stone for landscaping.

Due to increased road construction across the US, Northern Michigan Aggregates, Inc. is experiencing growth which is expected to continue. To prepare employees and the business to take on new larger projects throughout the state, Northern Michigan Aggregates, Inc. needs to keep their workforce trained.  Additionally, the company has an aging workforce so those with advanced skills will be leaving the company in 2-5 years.  Approximately 15% of their workforce will be retiring within this timeframe, so the company will need to train individuals to move up, so that new hires with less experience can be brought in.  Typically new employees filling positions are not fully equipped with the skillsets necessary to perform the job, so the company must fill the gap with extensive training up front. 

As the company extends its contract with its customers, new processes that make the company more efficient and value-added to the customer will be implemented which will in turn create a need for additional training. As processes are changed, employees will need to learn these new processes. These changes are mandated by the customers and will keep costs down. 

Thanks to their 2017 Skilled Trades Training Fund grant, Northern Michigan Aggregates was able to train two existing employees. The ICET training was offered by Ferris State University and resulted in both trainees getting their Crane Inspection Certification. After receiving the certification, one of the trainees even received a substantial raise ($6/hr).