IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – During his tour of the Upper Peninsula, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II sat down with professionals from a thriving industry in Iron Mountain alongside local county economic leaders.
CCI Systems is a telecommunications service provider spearheading the Guide Star apprenticeship program. Gilchrist praised it as the sole Department of Labor-approved cybersecurity apprenticeship in Michigan, stating, “That is an amazing story, an amazing model that I want to see better understood, if not replicated in other parts of Michigan. Because cybersecurity as an industry is growing, and it’s growing quickly. And we right now need thousands more cybersecurity professionals today.”
With approximately nine high school students already enrolled from the local school district, Gilchrist expressed his desire to expand such programming statewide, emphasizing, “Everyone needs to have access to get the kind of training, education or skills to take the next step in their life, let alone in their career.”
In addition to discussing the economic landscape, Gilchrist addressed recent legislative measures benefitting Dickinson County families, including $50 million in ongoing support for local housing revitalization and place-making. He highlighted upcoming initiatives like universal pre-K for 4-year-olds starting next school year, and stressed the importance of improved internet access in the Upper Peninsula, asserting, “What we were talking about here today, internet access. Everyone in the U.P. deserves to have internet access. Everyone in Michigan deserves to have access to internet they can afford. And making sure that Michigan is on track to be the first large state to connect all of our people. We got the 4th most money from the federal government out of all the states in the country.”
Gilchrist reiterated his focus on fostering a culture of lifelong learning in Michigan, aiming for over 60% of the state’s population to possess some form of credentialed training by 2030. With the current rate already at 51% from 45% when it was first announced in 2019, he believes Michigan is well on its way to achieving this goal.
For more information on the Guide Star Apprenticeship program, visit:
