Michigan will put $100 million toward skilled trades training and career exploration. Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation into law Tuesday.
State Senator Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, is a bill sponsor. He said the state has a shortage of people in the skilled trades workforce. That’s because for a long time there was an emphasis on getting a college degree.
“Not everybody is ganna be a four-year degree student and not everybody can work with their hands and this is for the folks that wanna work with their hands also,” Hansen said.
The money will come out of the Michigan Higher Education Loan Authority.
Snyder's spokeswoman Tanya Baker said the plan includes partnerships between teachers and employers to change the way students are prepared for careers.
“So it truly connects educators and employers to ensure students have this seamless experience from school to employment to lifelong learning,” she said.
More than a quarter of the money will be used to expand kindergarten through 12th grade education programs that focus on training and education for “high-demand” fields. Other money will be put toward scholarships for low-income students to help with the cost of getting a degree in a high-demand field. Money will also go toward counselors to help students find the right careers, equipment, and new curriculum.
