Humphrey Products – Kalamazoo
Humphrey Products of Kalamazoo supplies manufacturers with the tools needed to generate products in an efficient process. The Computerized Manufacturing EFE program partners with Humphrey’s to educate students on workplace safety, design principles, blueprint reading, and other concepts of machine work. Dave Maurer states: “Those that completed a co-op experience will have relevant work experience that only a few of their peers will be able to match.” He explains that employers, like Humphrey’s, value applicants with relevant work experience and may choose to hire these applicants “directly into employment without requiring any assessment period as a contract employee.”
Many programs in Kalamazoo County give students hands-on work experience in a trade as well as necessary credentials to begin a 
career in a Career Technical Education-based field. Courses for career development in trades allow students to take active steps towards their future. “I believe every student should graduate with a plan and a credential that allows them to take the next step on this plan.”
Dave emphasizes that, with the proper training and certifications, more than half of the jobs at Humphrey Products could be filled by those specializing in a trade. “I would strongly recommend that anyone who has explored career opportunities and has found an area that they are excited and passionate about, immerse themselves in classes and accompany that classroom experience with actual experiential learning in a qualified workplace.”
