Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is running for reelection in November, and like many candidates, he has a choice of issues to tout.
Marijuana legislation. The size of gun magazines. Suburban oil and gas exploration. All of these could make his list. But Snyder announced if he remains in office he will focus more of his time on career technical education. That puts him squarely behind the Michigan Credit Union League's Career and Technical Training initiative.
"Gov. Snyder has been very vocal in support of the need for Michigan to address its skills gap," Ken Ross, the league's EVP/COO, said.
Recommended For You
Ross considered the level of attention the program has won from the governor and state officials as a key accomplishment. He said the league has been working with U.S. Rep. Dan Benishek (R-Mich.) as well as Gov. Snyder to promote the program. The Michigan Workforce Development Agency and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. are involved.
Work is also underway with business colleges and high school counselors. Students, educators and others exploring the league's 33-page guide to the program will discover jobs listed in five clusters: manufacturing, health care, agriculture, energy and information technology. Industrial machinery mechanics, for example, are listed under manufacturing. Earnings range from $32,000 to $69,000 a year, with 18% employment growth expected through 2020, according to the league.
Specific jobs vary from welders, pharmacy technicians and meat cutters to computer network support specialists. The one thing the positions have in common is they generally don't require a four-year college degree. The guide explains the training that is needed. Ross said many of the jobs pay well and are in high demand
"A lot of folks have the impression that the way to be successful is to go to college, graduate and find a job," he said. "One of the things we're attempting to do is provide a complete picture of the options, the range of opportunities."
"Michigan has had a bumpy ride over the past several years, We identified an opportunity for Michigan credit unions to play a unique role in creating a resource for teachers and students who were looking ahead and maybe not seeing college as necessarily the best path but wanting a route to the middle class," Ross added.
Although it seems aimed at students, Ross said the guide is useful for anybody who wants to understand what jobs are available and where.
"The key is to realize you're only as successful as the local communities in which you're based, and only as successful as your membership. It's critical that you partner with state agencies and job providers who can provide economic data, not only for today but looking ahead five or six years."
© Touchpoint Markets, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more inforrmation visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
