As high school graduations begin in the region, it’s worth noting that May is Professional Trades Month, highlighting the career opportunities available in these much-needed positions.

In 2024, 393,000 Michiganders were employed in professional trades occupations, a 14.4% increase from 2020, according to a news release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, or LEO.

Many of these high-demand, high-wage careers do not require a four-year degree and have pathways that focus on credentials, certificates, on-the-job training and registered apprenticeships.

Michigan alone is expected to have nearly 518,300 positions and about 40,600 annual openings in the professional trades projected by the year 2032, according to Whitmer’s proclamation earlier this month.

“Michigan is working hard to help more people get the skills they need for good-paying jobs,” Whitmer said in the news release. “Professionals in the trades build and maintain the infrastructure that keeps our communities running, from roads and bridges to water treatment plants. This Professional Trades Month, I encourage every Michigander to explore programs like Going PRO, Michigan Reconnect, and the Community College Guarantee that can help them get the skills they need for success.”

Professional trades careers are essential to Michigan’s economic strength and community well-being, according to a LEO news release. These roles — spanning agriculture, construction, education, energy, health care, hospitality, information technology, manufacturing, mobility and outdoor recreation — are foundational to the state’s infrastructure and services.

“Professional Trades Month gives us the opportunity to encourage more Michiganders to discover the high‒skill, high‒demand careers that keep our communities strong, support local industries, and offer residents real pathways to stable, fulfilling lives,” LEO Director Susan Corbin said in the release.

State Apprenticeship Expansion is an innovative approach to help prepare Michigan’s future workforce. Registered apprenticeships are career training programs in which apprentices gain paid work experience, related classroom instruction and a national industry-recognized credential upon completion. One year after completing training, registered apprentices in Michigan earn a median annual salary of nearly $90,000, according to the news release.

Several resources are available online that support career awareness and exploration for those interested in pursuing a new or different professional opportunity.

The state’s official career exploration resource, Pathfinder, allows users to explore careers and identify educational opportunities throughout the state. Pathfinder — https://pathfinder.mitalent.org/ — helps Michiganders make informed choices about educational and career options and plans to reach their goals. This free online tool uses current labor market information, wage data and other metrics to best match users and their skills with career paths and jobs.

Those ready to find their first, next or another job should go to Pure Michigan Talent Connect, the state’s online platform for connecting job seekers and employers, at https://www.mitalent.org/ to create a free account.

LEO and the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics have also created resources to help Michiganders follow career and labor trends. These include Michigan’s Hot 50 report, which covers high-wage, in-demand careers that show a favorable mix of long-term job growth, projected annual job openings and median wages; Michigan’s Career Outlook report, which provides multiple lists of in-demand occupations by education and training requirements; and Regional Career Outlook reports, which offers breakdowns of career outlook data in each of the state’s 10 regions.

Professional trades workers will play a significant role in accomplishing the Michigan Statewide Infrastructure Workforce Plan, a framework for creating and enhancing job opportunities and training programs to meet Michigan’s critical infrastructure needs, according to LEO.

To learn more about programs and resources available to help Michiganders connect to career opportunities, go to Michigan.gov/AllAccess.