LANSING, MI – On Monday the Michigan Workforce Development Institute (WDI) kicked off National Apprenticeship Week, a nationwide celebration where the successes and value of apprenticeship programs are highlighted for rebuilding our economy, uplifting workers into the middle class and advancing racial and gender equality.
“The work of the Michigan Workforce Development Institute’s Access for All program prioritizes training Michiganders in the trades, creating a direct pipeline into Registered Apprenticeship programs and good paying careers,” said Cheryl SANFORD, CEO of Michigan Workforce Development Institute. “We have created a true sense of community, where our trainees stick with us and return to train future cohorts of Journeyworkers.”
Michigan WDI’s Access for All Apprenticeship Readiness Program was created to solve workforce needs and is designed to create opportunities for underserved communities to access in-demand and lucrative careers in the building trades.
“The Access for All training program not only gave me the skills I now use in my career as an Operating Engineer Apprentice, they made sure I had access to a good paying career,” said La’Tasha SMITH, Access for All Graduate and Trainer. “Now, I’m not only a graduate of the program, but I’m returning to train the next generation of Apprentices. I’m very proud of myself and what I’ve accomplished, and now it’s about helping others that will follow in our footsteps.”
WDI’s next cohorts trainers include many Access for All graduates, including:
La’Tasha Smith, Cohort 5 – 4th year Operating Engineers (IUOE) Apprentice
Theodore Spencer, Cohort 2 – Journeyman Electrician (IBEW)
John Perkins, Cohort 5 – Journeyman Carpenter
Zachery El-Amin, Cohort 7 – 3rd year Carpenter’s Apprentice
The Access for All Apprenticeship Readiness Program is accepting applications for its next cohort. The application and additional information can be found at https://miaflcio.org/accessforall
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