Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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November 11, 2019
WHEREAS, Registered Apprenticeship (RA) is a flexible, work-based training model that meets national standards for registration with the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and allows workers to earn a salary while they learn the skills employers demand in a variety of occupations; and,
WHEREAS, RAs share my goal of increasing postsecondary credential attainment to 60% by 2030 to help close Michigan’s widening skills gap; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan is one of the leading states across the U.S., having more than 1,090 registered apprenticeship programs and over 20,900 active apprentices; and,
WHEREAS, organized labor has a long and strong history of promoting, providing, and training the vast majority of apprentices in Michigan without state funding, and we are proud that this continues to bring good skills and high paying careers with retirement and other benefits, and supports our efforts to reach the 60 by 30 goal; 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 RA programs; and,
WHEREAS, the USDOL awarded the State Apprenticeship Expansion Grant to Michigan, including approximately $4 million in funding to expand RA by over 1,700 new apprentices and 20 new programs; and,
WHEREAS, LEO-WD, in partnership with the Michigan Works! Association and the USDOL Office of Apprenticeship, have established the Apprenticeship Learning Network training modules; and,
WHEREAS, in January 2017, LEO implemented the Apprenticeship Success Coordinator (ASC) function at each of the 16 Michigan Works! Agencies to assist employers with local projects to effectively launch, register, conduct, report on, and ensure successful completion of new RAs; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Industry Cluster Approach 2.0 Employer-Led Collaborative Grants provide $2.5 million to bring together all sectors to formulate solutions to fill identified talent gaps by utilizing RA and apprenticeship readiness programs; and,
WHEREAS, the Talent Fund program provides funding for businesses toward the establishment of new USDOL RAs and has funded over 3,600 since the program’s inception; and,
WHEREAS, the Michigan Works! System, in partnership with the USDOL, assists employers across industry sectors with establishing new non-traditional RA programs and helps job seekers connect to these career opportunities to create a diverse pipeline of skilled workers to meet industry talent needs;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim November 11-17, 2019, as Apprenticeship Week in Michigan, as I continue to work toward my goal of increasing postsecondary credential attainment from 45 to 60 percent by 2030.