In my State of the State Address, I laid out my plans to make it as easy as possible for every Michigander to get the skills or education th





*March 12, 2025*



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Dear Friend,

In my State of the State Address, [ [link removed] ] I laid out my plans to make it as easy as possible for every Michigander to get the skills or education they need to get a good-paying job so they can earn more money and protect and provide for themselves and their families.

Over the last few years, we’ve taken big strides to create more opportunities to both learn more and earn more.


* *200,000* Michiganders have enrolled in Michigan Reconnect, a bipartisan program we created in 2021 to offer anyone 25 and older a tuition-free associate’s degree or skills certificate at their local community college.
* *240,000+* Michiganders now attend one of our 31 community or Tribal colleges after we delivered the Community College Guarantee last year, giving every high school grad the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree or skills certificate tuition-free.
* *60,000 *students are saving thousands on tuition thanks to the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, a scholarship we created to lower the cost of a bachelor’s degree by up to $27,500. This is saving Michigan families $252.3 million on tuition statewide.

*In my State of the State Address, I highlighted my plans to go further to help more Michiganders get skills and land good-paying jobs. Here’s what I said.*

Sincerely,

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Gretchen Whitmer

Governor 






"*More Jobs, More Skills, More Money*"

jobs sots [ [link removed] ]

"*Click here to play the clip from Gov. Whitmer's State of the State Address [ [link removed] ]*"






*Young Men *

Despite record, bipartisan investments in programs offering tuition-free paths to higher education or skills certificates, women are outnumbering men on college campuses and less men are taking advantage of Michigan Reconnect, where the ratio is 2:1 women to men.


* "“We’ve built great programs open to everyone, but we need to do a better job of getting more young men signed up.... That’s why, soon, I’m signing an executive directive that will make an effort to reach more young men and boost their enrollment in our higher education and skills training programs.”"

* "“And to the women out there who are succeeding after decades of having the deck stacked against them, I see your resilience and I want you to know that I will never abandon my commitment to equal opportunity and dignity for everyone.”"

* "“No matter who you are, we want to help you learn more and earn more. So, look at an apprenticeship, find a scholarship, or sign up for Reconnect. Get your education, debt free, and build the life you deserve.”"

*Career and Technical Education *

Over the last few years, we have boosted career and tech education, giving students hands-on experience with wood, metal, power tools, and computers in high school so they can land a good job after graduation.


* "“In this year’s budget, let’s work together to make the largest investment in career and technical education… ever.”"

*Selfridge*

Protecting Selfridge Air National Guard Base is a bipartisan priority that unites Democrats and Republicans. We will fight for thousands of local jobs and hundreds of military families that rely on Selfridge.


* "“I spoke with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about supporting a fighter mission at Selfridge... The base supports thousands of local jobs and hundreds of military families. It’s home to some of the nation’s most elite pilots. They complete all kinds of missions, including protecting our border from drugs and crime.”"

* "“Let’s support our brave men and women in uniform at Selfridge in our next budget and work with our federal partners to save Michigan jobs and protect our national security.”"

*Fixing the Damn Roads*

Another driver of jobs and growth is our roads projects. Since I took office, we have fixed more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges, supporting tens of thousands of good-paying jobs. But the Rebuilding Michigan plan I created in 2020 to fix our most heavily trafficked state highways and bridges is phasing out soon, and we need a sustainable, long-term solution for local roads.


* "“Now, I know there are a couple different plans out there, including mine, and I know none of them are perfect. But what’s not okay… is no plan. Michiganders won’t accept inaction. To get it right, we’ll all have to recognize some hard truths. For all of us to be part of the solution we must all compromise… and that’s the way it ought to be.”"

* "“Let’s get back to the negotiating table in the coming days and weeks to find a long-term, bipartisan solution so we can fix more of those damn roads.”"

*Build Baby Build — Housing*

It’s hard to buy a house right now. Home prices have shot up 50% in 4 years. The median age of a homebuyer hit 56 years old—an all-time high. And just a quarter of homes went to first-time buyers—an all-time low. We need to ‘build, baby, build’ to expand supply and lower costs so every Michigander has a safe, affordable place to call home. Building more housing also creates construction jobs across the state. From pipefitters to carpenters and bricklayers to roofers, together we are laying the groundwork to build up our communities and drive down rents and mortgages, while creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs along the way.


* "“This year, let’s invest $2 billion to build, buy, or fix nearly 11,000 homes. This year, let’s make the largest housing investment in Michigan history. Getting this done will create more than 10,000 construction jobs, lower costs, and help more people achieve the American Dream.”"







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