Peters Visits Grand Rapids on Economic Listening Tour
Peters Tours Grand Valley State University Colleges of Engineering, Health Professions
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters today toured the Grand Valley State University College of Engineering and the College of Health Professions on the second day of his Michigan Economic Listening Tour, where he saw firsthand some of the latest advances in innovative technology being used to train our workforce and develop the next generation of engineers. As a new member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Senator Peters is traveling the state meeting with Michigan businesses, educators and workers to hear from different sectors of the state’s economy about how he can best represent them in Washington.
“Michigan’s advanced manufacturing industry is growing rapidly, and we need highly-trained engineers to fill those jobs,” said Senator Peters. “I was honored to tour Grand Valley State University, where they are leading the way in cooperative education that partners students with industry leaders to provide real-life job training. These collaborative and innovative practices will help Michigan continue be a leader in in producing homegrown talent for our expanding advanced manufacturing industry, and I look forward to taking what I’ve seen today back to Washington as an example of how partnerships between business and higher education invest in our workforce, grow our economy and strengthen our middle class.”
On his tour of Grand Valley State University, Senator Peters saw cutting-edge facilities including the College of Engineering’s “clean room,” which houses much of the school’s research and education in nanotechnology, a research area with enormous potential for growth.
Grand Valley State University is a public university in Grand Rapids with more than 24,000 students. Grand Valley is a leader in cooperative education, which provides students with hands-on learning experiences, valuable career experience and connections to West Michigan businesses looking for qualified employees. Senator Peters was joined on the tour by Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas.
“I was delighted to welcome Senator Peters to Grand Valley,” said Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas. “He had the opportunity to visit our Colleges of Engineering and Health Professions to see firsthand why graduates of our programs are in such high demand.”
While in Grand Rapids, Senator Peters also met with local business owners, economic development groups and community leaders. He met with The Right Place, an economic development organization that focuses on productivity, innovation and retaining and attracting quality employment in the West Michigan. Peters also toured Steelcase, Inc., a global office furniture and supply company headquartered in Grand Rapids.
Senator Peters believes that we must invest in educating and training our workforce for the future. He has supported the America COMPETES Act, which strengthens our economic competitiveness through investment in innovation, science and education. His stop in Grand Rapids was the second day of his Michigan Economic Listening Tour, which is focused on workforce training, education for high-skilled jobs and creating a climate for businesses of all sizes to thrive and succeed.
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