The Advance Michigan Defense Collaborative (AMDC) has been awarded $2.23 million in grant funds from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment to provide immediate and sustained assistance to firms and workers in southeast Michigan affected by reduced Department of Defense procurement. AMDC coordinates assistance to organizations in a 13-county area in southeast Michigan that promote research, industrial development, and talent development relevant to the defense industry. This second phase of funding is possible because of a $200,000 in-kind match from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Michigan Defense Center.
The $2.23 million award will operate as the second phase of a previous $6.3 million grant awarded in 2015 from the same office, which resulted in the development of two cyber range hubs, Pinckney Cyber Training Institute and Wayne State University Cyber Range Hub; skills gap analyses addressing cybersecurity and connected and automated vehicles; a regional plan for connected and automated transportation systems assets and initiatives; expansion of a State of Michigan Bid Targeting System, and a Defense Contractor Transition Center to assist individuals transition from defense into other industries.
The second phase of funding focuses on a variety of projects to identify and diversify Michigan’s defense portfolio, expand educational and workforce training for emerging markets, and provide opportunities for Michigan companies engaged in the defense economy. Second phase projects supported by the OEA grant include:
- Continuation of a Defense Contractor Transition Center,
- Convening and expansion of Opportunity Detroit Tech (ODT), a partnership of IT companies that come together to explore talent needs,
- Implementation of Michigan Alliance for Greater Mobility Advancement’s (MAGMA) efforts,
- Convening of Protect & Grow growth clusters, and
- Promotion of diversification through exports and the identification of lightweighting and robotics re-shoring opportunities.
Letters of support for the second round of funding were provided by Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Gary Peters, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, and Congressman Sander Levin. The Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board (M/SCWDB) will work on behalf of Macomb County Government, to administer the grant with management assistance from the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan, a partnership of 10 southeast Michigan Community Colleges and six Michigan Works! agencies.
“The continued funding from the Office of Economic Adjustment reflects the important work already accomplished in the region. The first phase of the grant assisted with not only providing immediate assistance, but allowed a better understanding of the defense industrial base and complimentary industries and their effect on the region’s workforce,” said Tricia Walding, Senior Project Manager for the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN). “This new round of funding will help us implement the strategies developed and assist with pulling more defense companies into regional conversations about employment, growth, diversification, and expansion.”
Currently, thousands of Michigan companies, supporting over 100,000 Michigan jobs, bring billions of federal defense dollars to Michigan’s economy. Michigan is home to the U.S. Army’s Detroit Arsenal, TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM), Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Army Acquisition Center (AAC), numerous Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) operations as well as Michigan National Guard bases and installations throughout Michigan with active, reserve and National Guard units.
For more information about AMDC and the initiative, please visit https://winintelligence.org/initiatives/dod.
The Advance Michigan Defense Collaborative (AMDC) is a group of organizations that provides immediate and sustained assistance to firms and workers in a 13-county region in Southeast Michigan affected by reduced Department of Defense procurement. The group coordinates assistance to organizations that promote research, industrial development, and talent development relevant to the defense industry. Efforts support resiliency and capacity in autonomous transportation and connected mobility, lightweight materials manufacturing sector, and information technology, with a focus on increasing security of automated transportation systems and products. The core coalition of partners includes the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board, Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan, Michigan Defense Center-an operation of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Merit Network, and Macomb County Office of Economic Development and Planning.