July 25, 2008
One-of-a-kind program helping thousands of Michigan citizens
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today celebrated the one-year anniversary of the No Worker Left Behind program she launched to help Michigan workers affected by the changing economy obtain the college degree or job training they need to get new, good-paying jobs.
"Today, I'm proud to announce that just one year into the program, more than 31,000 citizens have enrolled in training for new careers, 11,000 have already completed their training, and another 9,100 are waiting for their opportunity," Granholm said. "The budget for 2009 that I signed into law last week includes $15 million in state funding to help even more people get into training and into new jobs, and we've also won more federal funding to help No Worker Left Behind reach more people."
In just one year, the program's Website - www.michigan.gov/nwlb- has gotten more than 1.3 million hits from people looking for help to a better career. On the Website, Michigan workers can find information for training and certification to fill existing job openings in high-demand fields like nursing, accounting, or auto mechanics.
"In Michigan, we are working hard every day to make sure our people don't get left behind in this tough, global economy," Granholm said. "That's what No Worker Left Behind is all about. The tremendous response we've had in our first year means we are well on our way to our goal of getting 100,000 workers trained for good-paying jobs in just three years."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site at (
www.michigan.gov/gov
) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - NWLB
July 25, 2008
This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
One year ago, my administration launched the No Worker Left Behind program to give 100,000 workers who have been hit hard by our changing economy the opportunity to get the college degree or job training they need to get new, good-paying jobs.
So here's how it works: for three years only, free training is available for workers who have lost their jobs or who are ready to advance beyond low-skill jobs. It's first come, first served. With training and certification through No Worker Left Behind, Michigan workers can get good-paying jobs and fill existing job openings in high-demand fields like nursing, or accounting, or auto mechanics.
Standing with community college presidents, Michigan Works! leaders, local business owners, and citizens in need of training, I was proud to announce that Michigan was launching this one-of-a-kind program.
Today, I'm even prouder to announce that just one year into the program, more than 31,000 citizens have enrolled in training for new careers, 11,000 have already completed their training, and another 9,100 are waiting for their opportunity! So in just one year, the program's Website - which is www.michigan.gov/nwlb (for No Worker Left Behind - that's NWLB) - that Website has gotten more than 1.3 million hits. That's thousands…or maybe tens of thousands…of citizens who are looking for the path to a better career and a better future!
One of those citizens, for example, was Joanie who lives in Shiawassee County. After ten years of work with a tier 1 auto supplier, Joanie was laid off. Thanks to No Worker Left Behind, Joanie enrolled in a registered nursing program, and earlier this year she graduated with honors, and she now has a good, new job in the ICU at a local hospital. There are thousands of people like Joanie across Michigan who can benefit from No Worker Left Behind. The tremendous response we've had in our first year means we are well on our way to our goal of getting 100,000 workers trained for good-paying jobs in just three years.
The budget for 2009 that I signed into law last week includes $15 million in state funding to help even more people get into training and into new jobs. We've also won more federal funding to help No Worker Left Behind reach more people.
So if you or someone you know has been hit by this challenging economy, there is something that you can do. Stop in to your local Michigan Works! agency or visit our Website and see what job openings and job-training opportunities exist in your area. Go to: www.michigan.gov/nwlb. In Michigan, we are working hard every day to make sure our people don't get left behind in this tough, global economy. That's what No Worker Left Behind is all about.
Thank you for listening.
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