The Ford BlueOval Battery Park being constructed in Marshall hopes to provide opportunities to residents in the Calhoun County area, including students of Kellogg Community College. The site plans to fully open in 2026, with an anticipated 1,700 jobs being created through the plant. They’ve been in contact with Eric Greene, vice president for Communications and Advancement at KCC, about potentially creating a curated KCC-to-BlueOval program at the College’s Regional Manufacturing Technology Center, a specific program or certificate to go toward Ford employment opportunities.
“We want to create opportunities for our local students to get the jobs that they want to pursue,” Greene said.
When asked why students should care about the potential of working at BlueOval, he listed the good pay, possibilities for growth and promotions and the fact that many jobs there won’t require a bachelor’s degree.
Greene is optimistic about the relationship between KCC and Ford, as he put an emphasis on wanting KCC and its alumni to be able to work toward strengthening the community, and Ford is now a local employer. While he put emphasis on trades programs likely being the most beneficial toward working there, he added that business degrees or administrative degrees may also be helpful, though he added that more specialized positions may require more schooling past KCC.
Ford has put a lot of effort into their community relations in the past couple years, making donations to Binder Park Zoo, the Calhoun County Fair, providing a greenhouse for Marshall Middle School, sponsoring Marshall Motorfest and having more than 50 employees volunteering to clean up the Marshall Riverwalk, after which Ford sponsored Marshall Waterways Day, “donating funds for invasive species removal, tree plantings and lunch from Schuler’s.” The company is making an effort to have a good relationship with the town they’re building in.
However, there are many community concerns regarding the battery plant. Greene declined to comment on the controversy, stating that his position as the person communicating with BlueOval made it so that he couldn’t have a bias one way or another, but that he does respect everyone’s opinions and that he understands where their concerns are coming from.
KCC student Emily Willard of Battle Creek, has many such concerns. She said her family lived in a house that was bought by Ford, causing them to have to find a new home. When asked if she felt the donations Ford had made to the community has or will help with the controversy surrounding the site, Willard replied, “I feel like the donations are just a marketing scheme to distract from all the bad things or to try and make up for what they did, and that’s not okay.”
Willard also cited concerns about environmental risk, along with the fact that the original projected number of jobs was 3,000, a number almost double what it is now.
The website for BlueOval lists many conservation factors they’re working toward, such as bioswales in their parking lots, which are designed to absorb runoff rather than allowing it to flow into the Kalamazoo River, which the site is directly next to. They are also setting land next to the river aside to be protected and preserved, donating $100,000 to the county to help with the preservation of the land, along with meeting with area officials and leaders to discuss how to preserve the natural resources.
Willard fears that this won’t be enough.
“Even if most of the people involved have good intentions, I doubt they all do,” she said. “At some point, I worry that they’re just going to stop caring and start dumping toxins into the river.”
She added that her family was rushed out of their home so that they could get the trees all cleared away before the bats came back after winter. Bats are known for being able to consume hundreds of mosquitoes in a night, insects that will be especially abundant by the Kalamazoo River.
The BlueOval park has spent its time in Marshall steeped in controversy and a fair amount of disdain from the public. However, they estimate to be less than a year away from completing construction and beginning production and, for better or for worse, will be hiring.
Students who are interested in positions there can apply on their website, email Eric Greene at greenee@kellogg.edu or reach out to their academic advisor to discuss what classes will set them on the right path for employment.
