GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — It’s one thing to talk about the future of electric vehicle and semiconductor production and another to talk about the high-tech job skills needed to make that production a reality.

Two West Michigan schools have teamed up to train workers for the future. Western Michigan University and Kellogg Community College have announced $4.7 million in both public and private funding for semiconductor and EV training programs.

With help from Ford, DENSO Corporation and The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, both schools will use the funding to fill the talent gap for advanced manufacturing.

“Our hope is that we can actually now bring this to a level, almost an entry-level position for people to understand both things on the electrical vehicle side as well as  semiconductors, and then move them into potentially higher-level educational experiences, which will support, then, jobs within the industry here in Michigan and beyond,” said Dr. Steve Butt, dean of WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The programs are set to begin next year.