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Ionia County Career Center

The Ionia County Career Center (previously called Heartlands) provides career and technical training in 8 different areas.  Students are able to register for an ICCC class during the 11th and 12th grade years of high school, provided there is room in the program and they have enough credits to enroll.  

​For more information, visit the ICCC website -- http://www.ioniaisd.org/cte/

Trade Skills

There are many benefits to considering a career in the trades:

Affordability: Working in a skilled trade is much more affordable than getting a four-year college degree. While you may need some training to work in the trades, many companies hire people with no or little experience as apprentices. Even if you need to earn a certification or associate degree, you can do so in a fraction of the time and cost of a four-year degree. 

Job Availability: There are many jobs available in the skilled trades, for several reasons. First, workers are retiring every day, and companies need replacements. Second, jobs in construction and related fields need to be performed by someone local to the construction being done. Those jobs will not be sent to another country. 

Daily Practice of your Skills: Skilled workers get to do their jobs every day. A carpenter builds, a construction worker builds homes, offices and more as part of a team, and so on. The opportunity to practice your skills daily is a huge benefit, because people who practice daily get really good at their jobs.

Career Growth: You can begin as an apprentice and grow into mastery status. You can get additional training in rapidly growing fields. You can become certified by taking industry- or company-specific training. There are always opportunities to improve your skills and be promoted to management status.

Earn a Living Wage:  The National average wage of a skilled worker is $32 an hour. Like any other industry, skilled trade positions offer a variety of wages, and the more experience you have, the likelier you are to earn more. 

Technical Schools & Apprenticeships ​

MAT Squared (Michigan Advanced Technician Training):  This is an apprenticeship program where students alternate between classroom instruction and on-the-job training, gaining the necessary hands-on skills and real-world experiences for them to become a successful and productive member of the skilled workforce.


Going Pro in Michigan --> https://www.going-pro.com/ 

​Michigan Apprenticeships --https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wd/apprenticeships/career-seekers

​University of Northwestern Ohio --> https://www.unoh.edu/ 

See your counselor for more information on local community college programs