LANSING, Mich. — Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) proclaimed May as Professional Trades Month.
Businesses across Michigan need highly skilled workers in a multitude of trade careers including agriculture, construction, energy, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing and mobility.
The LEO estimates by the year 2028, there will be nearly 530,000 Michigan jobs and 47,000 annual openings in the professional trades.
Many of these high-demand, high-wage careers do not require a four-year degree, and have pathways that focus on credentials, certificates, on-the-job training, registered apprenticeships, and other preparation elements.
Professional trade careers in the state pay on average 39% higher than the statewide median for all occupations. The median salary for trade careers is about $57,000 with little to no student loan debt.
“Hard working Michiganders in the professional trades provide critical services to us all, from fixing cars to building new homes and much more,” said Whitmer. “These highly-skilled workers help our communities thrive, and this month and beyond, we honor their contributions and encourage Michiganders to consider exploring rewarding professional trade career paths.”
Check out the Michigan Career and Education Pathfinder site to explore careers and identify educational opportunities throughout the state.
Additional resources and career exploration tools are available here.
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