State Reps. Ben Frederick (R-Owosso), right, and Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) testify before the House Government Operations Committee in March 2020. | Michigan House Republicans
State Reps. Ben Frederick (R-Owosso), right, and Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) testify before the House Government Operations Committee in March 2020. | Michigan House Republicans
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has approved the bipartisan Michigan Reconnect Grant Program plan that aims help people 25 and older learn different skills to help them land higher-paying positions in the working field.
State Rep. Ben Frederick (R-Owosso) led the House vote on Bill 5576 and Bill 5580 on March 12. Whitmer signed both bills and related Senate Bill 268 on April 2.
“The bipartisan Michigan Reconnect program will connect thousands of Michiganders to good-paying jobs and connect businesses with the talent they need to thrive in their communities,” Whitmer said in a release. “I’m proud of the hard work that has gone into this bill package, and look forward to continue working with the legislature to reach our goal of 60% of Michiganders with a post-secondary degree by 2030.”
The Michigan Reconnect Grant Program is a tuition-free program that helps those in need of jobs advance their skills and find work in those industries they would normally not be skilled in. A grant of $35 million was also approved in a supplemental budget measure to fund the program.
“Michigan Reconnect has the potential to change lives all across our state,” Frederick said in a release. “It’s going to help remove the biggest barrier that prevents adults from going back to school or entering an occupational training program to gain the skills they need to advance their careers and better their lives.”
Frederick says 545,000 jobs are expected to open up by 2026 in the state. These jobs are expected to open up in sectors such as health care, manufacturing, IT, automotive and other trades. It is his belief that this program, combined with existing ones, will go a long way in filling in the gaps in Michigan's workforce.
This all comes after a conversation in late August 2019 when Michigan's top business leaders were concerned that they could not find skilled workers needed to hire within their businesses. During this time, those top business leaders supported a plan that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed that would help alleviate the shortage of skilled workers looking for work. Whitmer's plan has been modeled after a similar plan in place in Tennessee,
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