LANSING – State Representative Dan Scripps (D-Leland) on Thursday voted for a plan to retrain thousands of Michigan's displaced workers so they can land good-paying jobs available now in high-demand fields. The legislation leverages a $38 million federal investment in the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) program, which will significantly increase the state's capacity to match Michigan residents with available jobs.
"Many of our workers have found themselves forced out of a job they've spent their entire life at through no fault of their own," Scripps said. "Downsizing and outsourcing have hit our families here in Northwest Michigan hard. That's why No Worker Left Behind is such an important program – it gives our workers a chance to choose a new path and find a good-paying job in growing fields like health care, agriculture and energy."
Through NWLB, eligible Michigan workers can attend a community college or university tuition-free for two years to upgrade their skills so they can get good-paying jobs available in high-demand fields. The federal funds will allow NWLB to train more workers and shorten the waiting lists that have formed statewide. NWLB is recognized nationally as one of the best programs providing workers with retraining and available jobs in new fields.
The $38 million comes on the heels of other efforts by Scripps to help displaced workers and boost retraining. Since NWLB began in 2007, more than 102,000 residents have enrolled in the program.