By Randiah Camille Green
April 28, 2026
This sponsored story was originally published by Outlier Media

This story was written by Randiah Camille Green and created in partnership with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. It is part of a year-long series focusing on programs and pathways to good paying jobs and careers in Detroit.

Jake Wigginton always knew he wanted to work in a skilled trade, but he wasn’t sure how to get a good job after graduating from high school. So he enrolled in the Macomb Community College (MCC) Michigan Apprenticeship Program Plus Industrial Readiness program, known as Map+, and upon completion he landed a job as an apprentice instantly.

“It was a little bit challenging because I was experiencing new stuff, like how to solder. But it was a fun challenge. And most of my instructors have done their job for like 30 years, so they know what they’re talking about,” Wigginton said. “Those classes helped me a lot. I’ve learned a lot that has dipped into my work and as I’m working, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I learned this in class.’”

At 21 years old, Wigginton is working as a certified maintenance technician while continuing to take classes at MCC as part of his apprenticeship, all sponsored by his employer. He also gets paid for the time he is in class. All of the courses he is taking are chosen by his employer to further his career, including skills taught in arc welding, technical writing, and electrical courses. 

“I started [working] Jan. 8, 2024 and they said, ‘You wanna do more school?’ I said, heck yeah and they signed me up for the winter semester,” he said. “The Map+ program is definitely the way to go because it helped me a lot with understanding trade work. And there are so many opportunities because even the professors have connections that could lead to an opportunity if you don’t get hired at the job fair.”

Roughly 70% of students receive an apprenticeship or entry-level skill trades position upon completing the Map+ program, according to MCC Professor and Apprentice Coordinator Vikki Gordon, who emphasizes that an apprenticeship is in fact a job.

“It is a very proven, very successful workforce development model,” she says, adding that after MCC teaches the skills to get a job, “We will get you in front of an audience of hiring employers, especially those who have apprenticeship programs.”

For those who already have an apprenticeship through their employer, Macomb offers several classes in the skilled trades and healthcare fields. The college works with more than 100 employers, including General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford, with nearly 800 students taking classes as part of skilled trade apprenticeships currently.

“All of the programs are for-credit, so whether they get into the pre-apprenticeship program or an apprenticeship with an employer who sends them to us to complete the classes, they will get credentials that will go toward an associates degree,” Gordon said. “We’re very responsive to what employers in the area would like to see in a candidate that they’re considering for an apprenticeship program, so their credentials meet not only the needs of the students to be engaging and exciting and give them skills, but the needs of the industry.”

Several other community colleges, including Henry Ford College (HFC), Oakland Community College (OCC), and Schoolcraft College partner with employers across metro Detroit for apprenticeships. Schoolcraft has 45 employer-sponsored apprenticeship programs, primarily in skilled trades. They also offer many opportunities for students to “upskill their professions” in healthcare by learning related skills, in a model they refer to as “earn while you learn.”

Some of the “earn while you learn” pathways at Schoolcraft, in healthcare fields, include MRI, vascular ultrasound, interventional radiology, and musculoskeletal ultrasound. These are for individuals who are already working in healthcare, and want to gain additional certifications to move into jobs that fill gaps in the industry and earn higher wages.

“We have so many healthcare jobs that are available because in the COVID era, a lot of people left healthcare and a lot of people retired, so we have a large gap,” Keambra Pierson, Schoolcraft’s chief academic operations officer said. “We try to make sure we partner well with our community partners, to make sure that we’re able to give them what they’re looking for in the workforce, and then they are able to send people back here to continue to get the upskilling that’s necessary in the workforce.”

Schoolcraft has also infused opportunities for employment and apprenticeships into several of its programs, like the Pharmacy Technician program. Those who complete this one-semester program, conducted in partnership with CVS, can gain immediate employment with the company. The school’s Medical Assisting program also offers employer-sponsored apprenticeships through partnerships with Henry Ford Health System and IHA Medical Group, which is part of Trinity Health.

“Nationally, individuals who finish some of these different pathway degrees, whether it’s an apprenticeship program or an upskilling pathway, 92% stay with their employer for three to five years, and that’s a huge number. And actually, 90% of them stay over five years,” said health professions liaison at Schoolcraft, Donna Moyer. “And in most of these apprenticeship programs, the individuals end up with little or no student debt.”

Michigan has been rated as the fourth best state in the nation for workforce development due to strong skilled trades programs, colleges, and universities. Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs undoubtedly contribute to this high ranking, providing people opportunities to earn a higher-than-livable wage with long-term employment.

“There’s something to be said for the ease of transition from school to a career,” Moyer said of Schoolcraft students. “They receive an industry recognized, national credential, plus, in some cases, they can earn college credits and they get a college certificate.”

Those interested in MCC’s Map+ pre-apprenticeship program are encouraged to contact Program Coordinator Carol Hensler-Smith at hensler-smithc516@macomb.edu.

To learn more about programs and pathways to good paying jobs and careers in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck, visit: https://outliermedia.org/tag/pathways-to-good-paying-jobs/