Great Lakes Bay Region employers recognized for apprenticeships
By Midland Daily News
Nov 27, 2024
Local businesses joined state and federal officials to promote apprenticeships on Nov. 13 at a ceremony hosted at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Hotel by Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development and the United States Department of Labor.
Iron Workers Local 25, Operating Engineers 324, Ajax Paving Industries, ESCON Group, Nexteer Automotive, and the General Motors-UAW Apprenticeship program were honored for their work to build a solid talent pipeline for the region’s workforce through apprenticeships.
“Apprenticeships are one strategic way for our region to ‘grow its own’ workforce at a time when we face the reality that our region is both aging and shrinking in population,” said Erik Rodriguez, chair of the Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works Workforce Development board and public relations director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
Prior to the awards ceremony, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development administrative manager Scott Jedele led a discussion with employers celebrated at the event to highlight the benefits of registered apprenticeship opportunities for both employers and job seekers.
A registered apprenticeship is a structured training program that combines paid, on-the-job learning with classroom instruction, allowing participants to gain practical skills and industry-recognized credentials. These programs are registered with the United States Department of Labor to ensure they meet specific quality standards.
Benefits for Employers:
- Creates a skilled workforce tailored to their needs
- Reduces recruitment and training costs by growing talent internally
- Improves employee retention and productivity through loyalty and expertise
Benefits for Job Seekers:
- Earn a salary while learning and gaining hands-on experience
- Obtain industry-recognized credentials, often with little or no debt
- Access a clear career pathway with opportunities for advancement
“This dual advantage makes registered apprenticeships a valuable tool for workforce development,” said Kristen Wenzel, CEO of Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works. “Registered Apprenticeships are available in a variety of fields deemed crucial to our future, including construction, energy, health care, information technology, manufacturing, and even early childhood education – which we highlighted at the Nov. 13 event.”
Boosting awareness of registered apprenticeship represents part of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity overall efforts to expand the talent pool and match employers with qualified employees to grow and sustain a vibrant economy. That effort strengthens Governor Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 initiative to have 60% of Michigan’s working adults with a skills certificate or postsecondary degree by 2030.
Local businesses interested in learning more about the support available to start or participate in an existing registered apprenticeship program should contact Robin Wellhousen. business services team apprenticeship specialist at wellhour@michiganworks.com or Anna Willman-Onstott programs director apprenticeship success coordinator at onstotta@michiganworks.com.