New job academy aims to fill void
Founder’s goal is to train people for entry-level factory jobs
When John Bones retired a few years ago, he wanted to give back to the manufacturing industry where he had made his career.
He saw a lot of temporary job agencies and long-term training programs at trade schools and community colleges, but realized there was a missing piece to the puzzle. That inspired him to create the Team Up Academy, a non-profit with the mission of growing the labor pool for industrial and manufacturing businesses.
“I feel like what we are doing is a little bit different than what trade schools are doing,” Bones said. “This is like a jump start school to get you a decent job and then get you into the trades and the technical training.”
Team Up Academy is set to open next month in Warren.
“I wanted to give back to the community and help people,” Bones said. “I’ve always been interested in helping young people with a good head on their shoulders who want to succeed.”
Forklift training, manlift training, general tool skills and assembly work training are among the skills Team Up students will learn.
“We want to make sure our graduates have their forklift and manlift licenses
because that is very important in an industrial environment,” Bones said.
Graduates of the Team Up Academy boot camp will come away with skills to be placed in an entry level factory job that has opportunity for advancement. These are jobs often held by temporary workers or by full-time regular employees where there is high turnover.
Bones said Team Up will help students with job placement in large, tier one manufacturing companies. The academy is working
with several local high schools, but accepts applicants of all ages who are interested in entering the manufacturing workforce.
“I feel like this benefits both the Team Up students and the companies where they are being placed,” Bones said. “The students are placed in good paying jobs with an opportunity for upward mobility, and the company gets a reliable worker who is trained and more committed to the job than a temp worker.”
Team Up Academy will
simulate a factory floor and give academy students hands-on training. In addition, students will learn what Bones calls “soft skills” like conflict resolution, financial management and anger management.
There will also be a focus on workplace safety.
“We want everyone to have a good feel for the equipment they are going to be around,” Bones said.
The first pilot boot camp class begins March 1 and has 10 students. More than 50 have already applied and
Team Up Academy is accepting new applications. Once the Warren academy grows, Team Up plans to open locations in Oakland and Wayne counties.
Team Up Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is looking for donations of underutilized industrial equipment that can be help with their training programs. Any company interested in donating should contact Gary Wozniak at 313-737-3710.
For more information, visit teamupacademy.org.