Macomb Community College receives $600,000 in federal funding for its Michigan’s Apprenticeship Program Plus

Macomb Community College is on the receiving end of $600,000 in federal funding to fund its Michigan’s Apprenticeship Program Plus. The program is an effort from the college to combat Michigan’s skill gap. 

In an article from Fox 2 Detroit, U.S. Senator Gary Peters was quoted about this gap, saying, "As I travel throughout Macomb County as well as the state of Michigan, one thing that I hear over and over again from employers is that they have jobs that are available. They just don’t have folks that have the skills that they need to hire. That’s why we work to get this funding in the last appropriations bill, happy to announce today over $600,000 being provided to Macomb Community College to continue this program for another four years.” Peters made these statements during a recent visit to the school’s campus to make the funding announcement.

Officials from Macomb Community College noted that the money will be allocated toward helping more Michigan students gain the skills they need to find meaningful jobs.

Jim Sawyer, who serves as the president of Macomb Community College, talked about the history of the program, saying, "The MAP Plus program has been very successful. Since the beginning we’ve had 378 students who completed the program."

Dean of Engineering and Advanced Technology Donald Hutchison weighed in on the future of the program: "We expect 160 students to enroll in the program during the grant period which runs through October 2025."

The program does not represent a cost to enrolled students. "It's important for folks to know that students who are accepted into this program you have zero cost,” said Senator Peters.

Peters also reiterated the importance of adequate skills training for people looking to get into the workforce, saying, "There’s not a shortage of jobs what we have to connect is, the skill training program to make sure those folks have skills they need to get those jobs."

He then went on to note that the Michigan Apprenticeship Program Plus is good for both employers, job seekers, and the future of the state in general, saying, "We can’t grow the Michigan economy if we don’t have skilled workers to fill the jobs that are available. And Macomb Community College is at the forefront of doing that."

More information about Macomb Community College can be found at the school’s website.