Legislation forms apprenticeship program for Michigan National Guard members

State Rep. Jaime Greene this week testified before the House Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee in support of her plan to establish an apprenticeship program for Michigan Army National Guard and Air National Guard service members.

Under Greene’s legislation, the training and experience gained during service in the Michigan Army National Guard and Air National Guard would count toward certain apprenticeship certifications. These certifications, approved by the Department of Labor and eligible under the G.I. Bill, will provide service members with opportunities for career advancement in high-demand fields.

“This apprenticeship program has the potential to create many valuable career pathways for our Guardsmen and women,” said Greene, a U.S. Navy veteran. “My goal is to help the thousands of people who serve in the Michigan National Guard take everything they’ve learned while serving our state and be ready to hop right into the workforce with an apprenticeship certificate.”

Greene’s plan, House Bill 5703, ensures the program will be cost-free for service members, allowing them to pursue professional development without financial burden. On-the-job learning will be integrated into duty hours under the direction of the service member’s supervisor.

Indiana, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Iowa and more recently Missouri have enacted National Guard Apprenticeship programs.

Rick Donovan, state legislative officer of the Polish Legion of American Veterans said the some of the credentials earned through the apprenticeship program in Missouri could be worth up to 32 college credits at Michigan’s 28 community colleges.

“Guard soldiers are being deployed for year-long service in support of U.S. Central Command in places around the world like Libera, Latvia, United Arab Emirates, southeast Asia supporting operations. They’re doing medical support missions and infrastructure projects of carpentry, plumbing and road repairs,” Donovan said. “We’re sending our troops overseas to fix roads in other countries. Wouldn’t it be great to train them to have a Department of Labor completion of apprenticeship certificate to give to an employer when they return home to Michigan so they can get a job here and fix our roads?”

House Bill 5703 remains under consideration by the House Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee.

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