Washtenaw Community College is convening state and industry mobility leaders at the Detroit Auto Show this week for a forward-looking discussion on how education and workforce development are driving Michigan’s mobility future.
The panel, “Driving Michigan’s Future as a Mobility Leader through Education & Workforce Development,” will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, on the Main Show Floor Stage at the 2026 Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit.
The discussion will feature Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson alongside industry experts exploring the technology, talent, training, and cross-sector collaboration needed to sustain Michigan’s leadership in the rapidly evolving mobility economy.
With deep industry partnerships and new facilities — including a new EV & Battery Lab and a Semiconductor Lab — WCC aligns education with real-time industry demand to prepare the next generation of mobility talent.
The panel will be moderated by Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy. Panelists include WCC President Dr. Rose Bellanca and Jennifer Tisdale, Senior Director of Strategic Engagements at Upstream Security.
The discussion is part of the Mobility Global Forum, held in conjunction with the Auto Show’s Industry Days.
In addition, January 14-15, WCC will showcase its transportation and mobility workforce education programs and facilities at its booth in the Automobili-D Exhibit on the Main Show Floor, adjacent to the Hall C entrance.
The college will highlight its new Volkswagen ID. Buzz, the latest addition to a fleet of 12 electric and hybrid vehicles used by students in hands-on training for emerging mobility product development and service careers.
Students train on EV and hybrid vehicles from five different automakers, gaining experience across platforms and technologies.
WCC’s leadership in mobility education has evolved alongside the industry for more than a decade, beginning with the launch of its Advanced Transportation Center.
The college is the only community college participating in the University of Michigan–led Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT), funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant. Through this partnership, WCC translates cutting-edge research into classroom learning and workforce training.
Recent WCC apprenticeship graduates now working in industry will join the college’s transportation technologies faculty, employers, and industry partners at the Auto Show the following week for a panel discussion titled “The Future of Mobility Careers,” hosted by the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN).
The WIN panels will be held January 21–22, coinciding with the Auto Show’s high school student attendance days.
WCC representatives will highlight how the college responds to industry workforce needs, including its role as Michigan’s only community college to host the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program and its employer-led, work-and-earn apprenticeship partnerships that place students directly into high-demand mobility careers.
Tags: Advanced Transportation Center, Detroit Auto Show, Electric Vehicles, Mobility, Workforce Development, Workforce Training