Join SEMCA Michigan Works! alongside industry professionals to explore how establishing a Registered Apprenticeship can enhance training programs and foster a skilled workforce from day one, with the backing of a Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program. Register to attend SEMCA Michigan Works! National Apprenticeship Week 2023 events.
WHEREAS, Registered Apprenticeships are a workforce training model that provides paid, relevant work experience, related classroom instruction, and a United States Department of Labor (USDOL) national credential that allows workers to earn a living while acquiring the skills employers demand in a variety of occupations; 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, Registered Apprentices who receive an industry-recognized credential earn on average more than $70,000 annually one year after completion, resulting in an 89% retention rate for Michigan employers; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan is among the national leaders in Registered Apprenticeships, having more than 1,100 registered apprenticeship programs and more than 18,000 active apprentices; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (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 3,300 new apprentices since 2019; and,
WHEREAS, organized labor has a long and strong history of promoting, providing, and training most apprentices in Michigan, and continues to provide people with the critical skills they need to succeed in high-paying careers with retirement and other benefits while supporting our efforts to close Michigan’s widening skills gap; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Apprenticeship Advisory Board, comprised of over 20 leaders from industry, labor, education, and the military, provides guidance to Regional Implementation Consortia across the state to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs; and,
WHEREAS, LEO champions efforts designed to provide a proven system of public-private partners to support and operate successful Registered Apprenticeship programs and 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 towards securing Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, and USDOL, LEO, Michigan Department of Military Affairs, and other veterans’ stakeholders work together to expand veteran opportunities and Michigan has invested over $1 million in the Michigan Construction Apprenticeship Post-Military Opportunity! (MiCAMO!) Program that connects Veterans with Registered Apprenticeships in Michigan’s construction industry; 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;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim November 13-19, 2023, as Apprenticeship Week in Michigan, as we continue to expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities and work toward our statewide Sixty by 30 goal of increasing postsecondary credential attainment to 60% by 2030.
