Michigan Works taking applications for jobs at planned Kaiser Aluminum plant in Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO -- Michigan Works on Monday began taking applications for jobs at Kaiser Aluminum, which will open a manufacturing operation at Midlink Business Park next year. The agency's Kalamazoo office, 1601 S. Burdick St., will be handling the application process for 41 positions in three job categories over the next two weeks, said Cincy Sullivan, manager of the office. "We had 110 people today and we expect similar numbers the rest of the week," Sullivan said. Kaiser Aluminum, a California-based producer of aluminum products, plans to fill jobs as production technicians, maintenance technicians and production team leaders through Michigan Works, Sullivan said. Applications are being accepted alphabetically based on a person's last name, she said. For example, on Monday they accepted applications from people with last name's beginning A through E. Today, they are taking last names starting F through J. The process will repeat next week. Each of the jobs require a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma, two years of work experience in a manufacturing setting, a driver's license, the ability to lift 50 pounds, and other minimum requirements. Kaiser began work last fall to outfit 464,000 square feet for aluminum production at Midlink, the former General Motors Corp. stamping plant that is now a subdivided business park. Kaiser has said it expects to employ about 200 workers at the plant by the end of 2010.