MI Future Mobility Plan, Pillar 1: Transition and Grow Our Mobility Industry and Workforce
The MI Future Mobility Plan is designed to grow Michigan’s mobility leadership, and complement the state’s economic development, workforce, energy, and infrastructure priorities. This is a cross-departmental plan that will enhance communities across the state through responsive policies and dynamic programming that prepares Michigan for the future.
Goal A: Create 20,000 new jobs by 2026 while increasing the median wage of mobility sector jobs.
Job Creation Initiatives
- Continued Incentive Tool Development and More Comprehensive Lead Generation: Continue bolstering a flexible and robust SOAR Fund toolkit for MEDC to attract top mobility and electrification suppliers, manufacturers, and maintenance providers. Also, establish benchmarks with peer states that are prioritizing mobility and developing more comprehensive systems for identifying targets in high-growth mobility sub-sectors. This includes leveraging regional partners and Michigan expats to pinpoint demand in a way that shortlists Michigan before domestic or global investment attraction opportunities are public.
- More Comprehensive Site Development for Mobility Companies: Support MEDC in growing the number of move-in ready large and medium sites. And accompany new site-based assets with funding and tax abatements for the owners of those properties until they can be leased.
Median Wage Initiatives
- High-Tech Talent Retention Funding: Provide increased funding for higher ed student aid, with a specific focus on programs that retain computer science graduates to fill open jobs in mobility-related fields. This includes supporting partners, like MICHauto, University of Michigan’s EV Center, and the MEDC Talent Action Team. A larger workforce of highly skilled and educated talent will raise average wages for all.
- Double Down on High-Tech Talent Lead Generation and Remote Work Programming: Leverage existing industry relationships, and in-house MEDC marketing resources to develop advertising campaigns that attract software engineering talent and highlights unique assets like Michigan Central Innovation District in Detroit. Additionally, to get new computer-related engineers in-state faster, develop programs to attract out-of-state remote workers to Michigan to join local software and robotics credentialing programs, with in-state job matching.
Goal B: Add 7,000 workers with mobility credentials by 2030 — while increasing diversity in the mobility sector’s workforce.
Credentialing Initiatives
- Develop and Support More Signature EV and AV Training: Grow EV-focused and AV-focused academies, like the Michigan EV Jobs Academy, in partnership with industry, colleges, and universities – these partners would provide a credential or nanodegree. These academies must be paired with aggressive job placement programs. And, resource programs, like Michigan’s Going Pro, that have a proven track record in assisting the auto sector’s shift to EV production.
- Develop System for Futureproofing Curricula: Funding for schools that focus on upskilling, retraining, continuous learning and provide funds for workers directly for their continuous learning. This includes incentives to become engaged with their local educational institutions (time in class, first robotics, adjunct professor, projects, mentorships, sponsorships, interns, etc.). Leverage Michigan Reconnect Program for earlier access to talent for mobility companies.
Diversity-Driven Initiatives
- Build Systems and Services for Supply Chain Reshoring: Provide new funding sources for the construction of critical supply chain facilities, and the localizing of software-based operations, both from an R&D and scaling perspective.
- More Comprehensive Immigration Support: Better link state and national immigration programs to Michigan’s mobility Industry, creating stronger pipelines for global talent to fill key positions at autonomous, electric, and connected technology companies. This includes creating better sponsor programs, and communication of career paths in Michigan.
- Scale In-State STEM and Cybersecurity Education Systems in Diverse Communities: Support Michigan’s scaling up of its in-demand STEM and cybersecurity programs for K-12 and college students. Increase the placement of STEM and Cybersecurity college students in internships at local emerging companies. Bolster initiatives that provide more access points for K-12 students to experience mobility.
Goal C: Ensure Michigan maintains a resilient automotive and parts manufacturing sector that supports a minimum of 170,000 jobs through 2030.
Manufacturing Resiliency Initiatives
- Create a Portfolio of New and Proactive Supply Chain Planning and Retooling Services: Provide cash grants for planning, retooling, constructing new EV, AV, and component facilities as well as making them energy efficient. This includes battery production, labs for autonomous/connected/shared technology and assembly facilities.
- Communicate Mobility and Industry 4.0 Efforts as Complementary: Create marketing campaigns, and lead generation systems that provide new mobility business opportunities for traditional manufacturers to retain jobs and accelerate Industry 4.0 adoption. Additionally, existing and low-overhead programs like Automation Alley and MEDC’s Pure Michigan Business Connect and International Trade Program that connect manufacturers to new business partnerships should be scaled.
- Systematize State Services for Auto Worker Displacement: Ensure the jobs created making new technologies come with, at a minimum, the pay and benefits of the jobs they are displacing, making sure unionization in the manufacturing factor is preserved. And investing in communities with a high percentage of the workforce vulnerable to displacement.
- Create Electric Vehicle Transformation Impact Program (EVTIP): Create a program that provides transition strategy resources to communities affected by the closure of ICE employers because of EVs. This program would be modeled after Treasury’s Energy Transition Impact Program (ETIP).
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