Governor Whitmer today announced that the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has been awarded a $10 million federal grant to support the state’s registered apprenticeship expansion efforts and increase employment opportunities for Michiganders.
“As we put Michigan back to work, Registered Apprenticeship programs offer on-ramps to high-demand, high-skill careers, and in Michigan we have committed to expanding these educational opportunities to ensure more Michiganders can get good-paying jobs,” Whitmer said. “Increasing access to education and training opportunities will help us achieve our 60 by 30 goal to have 60% of Michigan’s adult with post-secondary education or skills training by 2030, improve the quality of life and help Michiganders secure good-paying jobs, and ensure businesses have the workforce they need to succeed and grow our economy.”
Grant funds will be used to establish the Michigan Statewide Targeted Apprenticeship Inclusion & Readiness System (MiSTAIRS)-a partnership of LEO, the Michigan Works! network, Michigan Career & Technical Institute, Michigan Association of Community and Adult Education and the Access to Apprenticeship Consortium including labor and associated contractors. MiSTAIRS will focus on those most severely impacted by COVID-19 and expand registered apprenticeship opportunities for women, people of color, individuals with disabilities and those without a high school equivalency diploma or equivalent.
MiSTAIRS will enable more than 1,640 workers to enroll in Registered Apprenticeship programs over a four-year period in sectors that include advanced manufacturing, construction, energy, healthcare, information technology and mobility – helping to secure Michigan’s short-term economic recovery and long-term success.
Michigan was one of just 15 states to receive a State Apprenticeship Equity, Expansion and Innovation grant award and one of 5 states to receive a maximum $10 million award from the U.S. Department of Labor.
State Apprenticeship Expansion and MiSTAIRS align with Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree to 60% by 2030.
More information about Michigan State Apprenticeship Expansion is available at Michigan.gov/Apprenticeship.
