Why Industry Grabs Kettering Grads First: A Blueprint for Career-Ready Talent

Jun 23, 2025   ·  

In a conversation with Chris Holman of Michigan Business Network at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Kettering University President Dr. Robert K. McMahan lays out what makes a Kettering education different — and why that difference matters.

Kettering students don’t wait to learn by doing. From year one, they rotate between intensive academic terms and full-time professional Co-ops in leading industries. This fusion of theory and practice builds more than résumés. It builds leaders who graduate into positions far beyond the entry-level.

Kettering students build their careers alongside industry leaders. Employers guide their growth through each Co-op term, often resulting in job offers before graduation.

Listen to the full interview to hear how Kettering’s model builds a workforce industry needs.