On July 22, the U.S. Secretary of the Navy announced a new investment into Michigan’s manufacturing economy with the formation of the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing Initiative (M3).
Secretary Carlos Del Toro, joined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Sen. Gary Peters, announced the investment in Michigan’s economy at Macomb Community College in Warren, the heart of the Arsenal of Democracy.
M3 will better integrate the Department of Defense, the state and local governments, private defense manufacturers, and academic institutions through investments exceeding $50 million with the goal of building up Michigan’s ability to produce naval vessels and other maritime products.
- Workforce Development: $16 million for accelerated welding and CNC machining training to meet labor demand from Michigan suppliers.
- Educational Outreach: $2 million for K-12 programs promoting manufacturing careers, particularly in maritime sectors.
- Veteran Support: $750,000 to aid veterans in transitioning to submarine and maritime sectors.
- Project MFG: $4.5 million for expanding Project MFG activities in Michigan, including national machining and welding championships.
- ACENet: Up to $10.75 million over five years to enhance a national network of advanced machining training centers.
- Recruitment Campaign: $3 million to attract talent to Michigan’s manufacturing trades, building on the success of the “Built to Last” campaign.
“The investments that we are seeing today from the Department of Defense, let alone the Navy, demonstrate that Michigan is still on the map for manufacturing beyond cars,” said Adam Majestic, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Government Relations Manager. “Manufacturers in Michigan are able to outproduce every state through our century of advanced manufacturing experience and are able to compete for these lucrative Department of Defense contracts.”
These initiatives will adopt a phased and ambitious strategy to maximize the number of skilled trades trainees by expanding and enhancing state-level trades pipelines and programs. Educational efforts will utilize facilities like Macomb Community College to create a steady supply of talented individuals, bolstering the local economy and supporting America’s industrial strength.
The U.S. Navy, alongside its scaling partners, will actively coordinate to align trades training programs with the industry’s hiring needs. Upon completing their training, graduates from these programs will be offered career placement opportunities with suppliers.