LANSING – State Representative Jennifer Haase (D-Richmond) 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 for the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) program, which will significantly increase the state's capacity to match Michigan residents with available jobs.
"These residents worked hard and played by the rules, and through no fault of their own found themselves without a job," Haase said. "This plan will help our displaced workers get the training they need to back on the job and back on their feet in these tough economic times."
Southeast Michigan, including Macomb and St. Clair counties, will receive $18.6 million of the total funding to help more than 4,200 local workers.
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 Haase to help displaced workers and boost retraining. Since NWLB began in 2007, more than 102,000 residents have enrolled in the program.