The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is collaborating with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's (LEO) Industry Engagement team on an exciting initiative to introduce students to Registered Apprenticeships.
As part of this effort, “Apprenticeship Walls” will be installed in prominent locations within local high schools. These interactive displays will educate students, parents and community members about the benefits of Registered Apprenticeship Programs, fostering greater awareness and engagement.
LEO's Industry Engagement team hosted a Talent Pipeline Management workshop with 40+ professionals, education partners and employers who came together to learn about the successes of the Sector Strategies Employer-Led Collaborative approach and to pilot new learning content focused on the integration of Employer-Led Collaboratives and Registered Apprenticeships.
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 LEO, the Upjohn Institute, Center for Automotive Research, and the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget are joining forces to explore a new approach to labor market data collection. The project team has been meeting to discuss creating an annual labor market report covering the auto, mobility, EV and battery sectors.
MichAuto, the Detroit Regional Workforce Partnership and Talent First are working to launch an industry advisory group with human resources executives from the auto and mobility sector to help inform industry-wide skill needs for workers.
 Two subgroups have been established to support the expansion of manufacturing and engineering curriculum in high schools, resulting in a seamless connection from K-12 into the workforce.
The first subgroup has recommended a strategy for achieving this expansion by equipping regions with a structured playbook to assess regional workforce needs. By analyzing the current landscape, regions can catalog existing programs, pinpoint gaps and identify the most effective initiatives to address those gaps. Employer engagement and feedback is recognized as essential components of this process.
To further support this effort, the playbook can be used as a roadmap for K-12 institutions, outlining strategies for partnering with employers as well as engaging students, parents and other community stakeholders. Key areas of focus include:
- Developing a playbook tailored to regional workforce needs.
- Providing quarterly regional industry reports through data hubs.
- Creating an asset map of secondary schools, highlighting STEM opportunities, Employer-Led Collaboratives, postsecondary institutions and other workforce development partners.
A second sub-group is exploring resources and guides that will support the implementation of programs identified by the regional asset assessment referenced above. Potential programs include Registered Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships, Career and Technical Education programs, and other work-based learning initiatives.
If you are interested in joining either of the subgroups referenced above, please contact LEO-SectorStrategies@michigan.gov.
 The Structural Barriers workgroup continues to identify successful programs across the state to develop a playbook that can be used in any region. To highlight the key components of a successful barrier removal program, partners from The Source and Hope Network presented to the workgroup on successful transportation barrier programs in west Michigan.
The Source’s Ways to Wheels program removes transportation barriers with the goal to get people to a place of greater stability both in employment and their personal lives. Learn more at The Source website.
Hope Network’s Wheels to Work is a program designed to provide transport to individuals from home to their place of employment and then reverse the process at the end of their shift with no stops or transfers. Learn more at the Wheels to Work website.
If you are aware of an existing initiative that is removing transportation barriers in your region, please share the information with us at LEO-SectorStrategies@michigan.gov.
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All EV Workforce Hub Quarterly VIRTUAL meeting: March 6, 2025, at 1 p.m.
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EV Workforce Hub Data & Coordination Workgroup meeting: March 18, 2025, at 11 a.m.
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EV Workforce Hub Structural Barriers Workgroup meeting: March 13, 2025, at 3:30 p.m.
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EV Workforce Hub Training, Curriculum & Career Readiness Workgroup meeting:
March 26, 2025, at 2:30 p.m.
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