Governor Whitmer Proclaims November 14-20, 2022, as Apprenticeship Week in Michigan

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WHEREAS, Registered Apprenticeship is an elite workforce training model that allows workers to earn a living and acquire the skills employers demand in a variety of occupations, while also gaining relevant work experience, related classroom instruction, and a United States Department of Labor (USDOL) national credential that supports our efforts to reach the Sixty by 30 goal to help close Michigan’s widening skills gap; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan’s apprenticeship network continues to grow the number of opportunities to ensure more students and job seekers gain in-demand skills without extensive tuition debt, while employers get the talent they need to grow and thrive; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan is among the national leaders in Registered Apprenticeships, having more than 1,000 registered apprenticeship programs and more than 18,000 active apprentices; and,

WHEREAS, organized labor has a long and strong history of promoting and providing training for the majority of apprentices in Michigan, and continues to bring good skills and high-paying careers with retirement and other benefits; and,

WHEREAS, the Michigan Apprenticeship Advisory Board, comprised of 18 leaders from industry, labor, education and government, provides guidance to Regional Implementation Consortia across the state in order to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs; and,

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) champions efforts designed to provide a proven system of public-private partners to support and operate successful Registered Apprenticeship programs; and,

WHEREAS, LEO, in partnership with the USDOL Office of Apprenticeship, has contributed to apprenticeship expansion through support of sector partnerships, employer incentives, and the establishment of the Apprenticeship Success Coordinator function within the Michigan Works! network, resulting in more than 3,500 new apprentices since 2017; and,

WHEREAS, LEO is expanding Registered Apprenticeship programs for youth with disabilities by conducting outreach, engaging employers, and developing career opportunities; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan has enacted bipartisan legislation to allow more veterans to use G.I. Bill benefits in Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, and USDOL, LEO, the Michigan Department of Military Affairs and other veterans’ apprenticeship stakeholders work together to expand veteran opportunities and network with relevant apprenticeship partners; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan’s efforts to date have provided a substantial increase in Registered Apprenticeship diversity, equity, and inclusion, resulting in career pathway opportunities for underrepresented populations; and,

WHEREAS, Michigan is expanding Registered Apprenticeship programs for all residents by increasing access to high quality apprenticeship readiness programs in more regions across the state with appropriated funding in Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2023 for pre-apprenticeship training;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim November 14-20, 2022, as Apprenticeship Week in Michigan, as we continue to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities and work toward our statewide goal of increasing postsecondary credential attainment to 60 percent by 2030.

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