house resolution no.75
Reps. Love, Ellison, Clemente, Hope, Anthony, Coleman, Cambensy, Manoogian, Kuppa, Hertel, Yancey, Garrett, Pagan, Byrd, Kennedy, Brenda Carter, Tyrone Carter, Hoadley, Liberati, Guerra, Bolden and Whitsett offered the following resolution:
Whereas, The state of Michigan, and this nation as a whole, is experiencing a significant shortage in skilled trade workers. In Michigan, 80 percent of contracting firms report having a hard time filling salaried or hourly skilled worker positions. The shortage of skilled laborers will be exacerbated over the next decade as skilled tradespersons retire; and
Whereas, Near and long-term infrastructure projects will require a larger skilled trades workforce. The U.S. Department of Labor projects job growth in the skilled trades industry at 11 percent through 2026. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, that amounts to 3.5 million new skilled tradespersons, and the Associated General Contractors predicts a shortage of 250,000 skilled tradespersons per year. In Michigan, the number of skilled trades professionals cannot meet demand, with an expected rate of growth of 15,000 new trade jobs per year; and
Whereas, Women are underrepresented in skilled trades positions despite significant gains. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women represent less than 5 percent of all skilled trade workers. Despite a three- to four-fold increase since the early 1970s, women only represent 2.4 percent of all electricians, 2.2 percent of all carpenters, and 3.5 percent of all plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters; and
Whereas, Many women are employed in minimum wage jobs that do not provide benefits, and good-paying trade positions could benefit these low-income households. While women constitute 47 percent of the workforce, they account for 60 percent of the working poor and 63 percent of minimum wage employees. Women are also the primary or sole earners for 40 percent of households with children under 18 years of age; and
Whereas, Privately-led efforts in Michigan have started addressing the shortage of women in skilled trades positions. Project Accelerate, founded by Rita Brown, provides women with a primer in the construction trades, and Women In Skilled Trades, founded by Tori Menold and Carol Cool, is an accelerated pre-apprenticeship program that targets single moms. Pioneers like Adrienne Bennett, the CEO of Benkari and Michigan's first licensed Master Plumber and this nation's first African American Master Plumber, continue to demonstrate that, with encouragement and sustained programs, women and minorities can represent an increasing share of skilled workers; and
Whereas, National and statewide policies are necessary to create greater access to training and career opportunities for women in the skilled trades. Through administrative and policy efforts, the representative imbalance of tradeswomen can be redressed as state and national programs levy more resources, devote more training opportunities to women, and connect women with registered apprenticeship programs; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge state and federal administrators to increase the number of women in skilled trade professions by improving access to skilled training and employment opportunities; and be it further
Resolved, That we encourage industry leaders and labor unions to address existing and future shortages in the skilled trades workforce by hiring and training women and minorities; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of the Department of Talent and Economic Development, and the United States Secretary of Labor.