Delphi Receives $3 Million Federal Training Grant

Training supports the company's problem solving culture

TROY, Mich., Oct. 9 -- Delphi Corp. in conjunction with the Saginaw/Midland/Bay Michigan Works! agency and Delta College, has received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Labor Department to train its employees in high-technology areas. Over the next two years, more than 1500 Delphi U.S. salaried engineers will be trained on problem solving methodologies including: Six Sigma, Shainin, Design for Six Sigma and Robust Engineering.

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The U.S. Labor Department awarded a total of $14.7 million to five local Workforce Investment Boards around the country to train workers for high- technology jobs. The grants are financed through fees paid by employers who bring skilled foreign workers into the U.S. under H-1B nonimmigrant visas. The grants are a long-term solution to domestic labor shortages in high-skills and high-tech occupations.

"Through Delphi's Lean Enterprise initiatives, we are committed to becoming a problem-solving culture," said Donald L. Runkle, vice chairman, Enterprise Technologies. "Through our collaboration with Michigan Works!, we succeeded in demonstrating the importance of training our employees in various high-tech areas of our business."

Training from this grant began at the end of September and will cover selected Delphi employees at each of its divisions to obtain technically- focused skills in statistical engineering, problem solving, advanced manufacturing, innovation, robust design techniques, quantitative analysis and data-based decision making. Six Sigma, Shainin, Robust Engineering, and Design for Six Sigma training fall under Delphi's Innovation & Continuous Improvement Methodologies (I&CIM). Through I&CIM training, Delphi engineers will be able to approach problem solving by having complementary methods using the right tool at the right level at the right time. Since Delphi began training in 1999, the company has issued more than 9,000 certifications to its employees and will continue to develop its employees and enhance their skills in the problem solving methodologies.

The Saginaw/Midland/Bay Michigan Works! agency submitted the grant application on behalf of Delphi and will be the principal contact with the Department of Labor. Delta College will handle all financial administration duties.

"This is an excellent example of how Michigan Works! can be a powerful facilitator to help businesses gain competitive advantage through workforce development," said Dennis Brieske, director of the Saginaw/Midland/Bay Michigan Works! agency.

In addition to customized services like the collaboration with Delphi, Michigan Works! also delivers the following to strengthen businesses of all sizes: access to the state's largest online talent bank; facilities for hiring and interviewing; employee retention programs; training and wage reimbursement; programs to draw qualified workers to the most hard-to-fill positions; labor market data; and more.

Michigan Works! offers four one-stop service centers and three satellite offices in the Saginaw/Midland/Bay area to serve the needs of businesses and job seekers. For more information on Michigan Works!, please visit www.michiganworks.com .