LANSING, MI– Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM), the state’s business roundtable, today applauded Governor Rick Snyder’s Executive Budget recommendation, particularly the increased support for technical skills training and Michigan’s higher education institutions.
Doug Rothwell, BLM President & CEO said: “A survey conducted by Business Leaders for Michigan showed that over half of all small, medium, and large business are having difficulty finding talent with the right skills to fill available jobs. This isn’t surprising considering Michigan ranks only 26th in technical credentials per 100,000 of the working age population. We strongly support the Governor’s recommendation for an increase in appropriations for technical job training and education to help fill these high-demand, high wage occupations.
“We also know that there is a strong correlation between more education and higher incomes. Today, Michigan ranks in the bottom 20 states for both educational attainment and personal income. To help raise both, we need to make college education more affordable. The Governor’s 2016 proposed budget marks the fourth consecutive year of increased appropriations tied to performance standards. We applaud the Governor for continuing to make college affordability a priority.”
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