David Eggert| Crain’s Detroit Business
WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP — Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday promoted apprenticeships in the skilled trades, saying Michigan must re-establish career technical education as a viable alternative to a four-year college degree in its bid to fill in-demand jobs.
The Republican governor spent the morning after his fifth State of the State speech at a Lansing-area molding and machining manufacturer. Franchino Mold and Engineering has used $50,000 in state funding in the last two years so apprentices can be trained at Lansing Community College while working full time at the company.
Workers who complete the four-year program can make around $20 an hour and have no school debt.
“In some ways, we lost track of career tech education and the skilled trades. Big mistake. And we’re paying a price for that today,” Snyder said. “There are a tremendous number of great jobs out there waiting to be filled.”