Michigan hopes to turn apprenticeships into degrees with new program

Michigan celebrated the number of participants in a program awarding college credit to people who complete apprenticeships
10 trade unions and 24 community colleges have signed up to participate in the program
The move comes as the state pursues aims to see 60% of working-age Michiganders holding college degrees or certificates

Ten trade unions and 24 community colleges have signed up to participate in Michigan’s new College Credit for Apprenticeships Program, officials said Wednesday in a celebration at Schoolcraft College in Livonia.

And they expect those numbers to grow.

The program, which the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity launched in October 2025, awards college credit to people in certified apprenticeship programs. With that credit, participants often need only a semester of community college to receive an associate degree.

The program is an example of efforts by the state to increase the number of Michiganders with college degrees and certifications.

On average, college graduates make significantly more money than people without a college degree — median earnings in 2025 for people with an associate degree in Michigan were around $54,000, compared to $33,100 for high school grads, according to MI School Data.

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As Bridge Michigan has previously reported, Michigan ranks 39th nationally in the share of adults with degrees or certificates, even as that percentage inches upward.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants 60% of Michigan adults to have a degree or certification by 2030. Today, the state sits at 51.8%, and college enrollment numbers continue to fall.

Because the Michigan College Credit for Apprenticeships Program allows people to receive credit while continuing to work, officials in the Whitmer administration hope it will boost that number.

The program “enables past, current and future apprentices to earn college credit for their on-the-job training, opening doors to degrees and certifications that strengthen careers, support employers and build a skilled, adaptable workforce across Michigan,” Susan Corbin, director of the Department for Labor and Economic Opportunity, said in a statement.

The program encourages people to consider higher education, broadening the career possibilities they can pursue.

“It’s putting that bridge into place, saying that (apprenticeship) just doesn’t have to be where your journey ends — you can continue it from here,” said Nate Nestor, director of apprentice and training at the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers.

Michigan has more than 23,000 apprentices actively enrolled in over 800 programs and ranks fourth in the nation, according to ApprenticeshipUSA.

The apprenticeship-to-degrees program “recognizes the value of registered apprenticeship training while helping more Michiganders advance their careers and meet the workforce needs of employers across the state,” Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association, said in a statement.

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