Michigan Works of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren has received a $3.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to establish new training programs.
Paul Kirk, vice president of workforce at Michigan Works, tells us the agency has been working with employers for years to develop training programs that meet their needs, and this new grant will continue the work for another four years.
“It is funding for both pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship training. We are planning 405 pre-apprenticeships and 270 registered apprenticeships over the next four years,” said Kirk.
Kirk says apprenticeship programs aren’t just for skilled trades, as many people assume. They exist in almost every industry.
“From general processing in a hospital to drawing blood to community health nurses and direct care nurses, LPNs and RNs, we are able to create truly stackable certifications that take people from one level of their career trajectory to the next.”
Kirk says apprenticeship programs are a great training tool because they help workers get paid to learn new skills while also allowing employers to fill job openings.
Employers interested in establishing a registered apprenticeship program are welcome to contact Mark O’Reilly at [email protected]. More information about the grant can be found on the U.S. Department of Labor website.
