BERTRAND TOWNSHIP — Lake Michigan College’s Niles campus is preparing for a new educational program, and its key partner in it will soon be its neighbor.

Trucking company N&M Transfer — headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin — is expanding into Michigan, building a facility adjacent to LMC’s 1905 Foundation Dr. property at Bertrand Crossing in Bertrand Township.

While N&M trucks pull in and out of its building’s docks on one end, LMC students may practice parking on its other side.

Next year, the college will start a three-week commercial driving license program that features classroom lessons and hands-on driving experiences.

The program is tentatively set to start in late February or early March, shortly after N&M’s new facility opens. LMC then plans to include a cohort of students at its South Haven campus into the program, with two commercial trucks donated by N&M going between the campuses.

The college’s main campus in Benton Harbor could be included later on.

“It is a program area that our industry partners in the region have repeatedly asked, ‘could we start a truck training program?’” said Leslie Kellogg, LMC’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. “The transportation industry workers are in high demand, and the employment outlook is very strong.”

LMC’s upcoming program will train prospective drivers for employment by teaching drivers in lectures about things such as federal regulations, defensive driving, logbook instructions and other in-depth knowledge of operations and the trucking industry.

Then, they will use N&M’s donated trucks and commercial facility for hands-on learning, touching on general driving behavior, driving on a variety of road types and working with fellow drivers on the road.

Students will finish the program with a commercial driver license test, which has a strong passing rate, Kellogg said.

The program was a long-time coming, she said. When N&M approached LMC about purchasing part of the college’s property next door, both entities worked out a partnership.

Kellogg said that the need for a trucking workforce was strong in the area.

On Wednesday morning, Niles area business leaders said similar statements at the State of the Economy Breakfast in Niles Charter Township. It was part of a larger discussion on training a workforce for needed manufacturing and skilled trades jobs.

Kellogg said that area trucking industries are seeking employees, and the program offers a way to connect businesses to people.

“That’s one of the reasons why we partnered with the college for a trucking industry,” said Tom Beres, N&M senior account manager.

He said N&M drivers typically earn between $60,000 and $70,000 a year. The challenge, however, is finding drivers.

The company also wanted to move to Bertrand Township as part of its reach into Michigan, Beres said. Currently, parts of southwest Michigan can receive same-day delivery by the Midwest company. The move is meant to expand that reach and prime the company to open near other cities, such as Battle Creek.

Employees of N&M’s South Bend facility will move to the new location, so management-style positions will not be immediately open, Beres said. Truck driving positions may be, however.

“We’re very excited about this public-private partnership,” Kellogg said. “It’s a win-win-win. It’s a win for the college. It’s a win for N&M trucking, and it’s a win for our region that we serve, because this is a high-demand occupation that is need of workers.”

Beres claimed that the trucking company-community college connection may be the first of its kind in the nation.

Those interested in applying for the program can reach out to Nicholas Hooper, LMC’s Niles campus director, at nhooper@lakemichigancollege.edu. He will add those that reach out to a list of prospective students as LMC works on finalizing the program.