As Michigan prepares for tomorrow’s big election, skilled-trade and union workers are calling for continued federal support to keep their industry strong.
Many are hoping the next administration will prioritize funding similar to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which fueled repairs and upgrades to roads, water systems, and the power grid.
In Detroit, Felicia Wiseman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers says the Infrastructure Act and the CHIPS Act also created pathways for new talent through apprenticeship programs.
“The work that’s coming down the pipeline, we need people to do it,” Wiseman said. “So, it’s making them open up doors so that people can get into these apprenticeships. There’s a lot of programs that are out there that are kind of prepping people because they don’t know about how to get into the different skill trades.”
Michigan will receive more than $11 billion from the Infrastructure Act by 2026, funding major skilled-trade jobs and projects in transportation, water, and energy.
According to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan expects about 45,000 new skilled-trade job openings each year through 2028.
