Midland, Michigan, March 2016 – Jimmy Greene, CEO of The Greater Michigan Construction Academy (GMCA), along with the Board of Directors announced today that the Association received a $250,000 matching grant from The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow Foundation. The grant will match dollar for dollar all donations from supporters of skilled trades training taught at the facility. Based in Midland, Mich., Michigan Center for Construction Education and Research Trust, better known as GMCA, is a 40-year-old 501(c)3 nonprofit apprenticeship training center now teaching junior and senior students from the five public high schools in Midland County.
“We have been training adult students in the trades for over 30 years for some of the best contractors in the Great Lakes Bay Region and decided several years ago that we would provide this kind of career training to our kids in the region and it’s been a huge success” says Jason Johnson of J.E Johnson who is the Chairman of the Board of GMCA. In just over two years in partnership with the Midland Education Service Agency; the pilot program, now a regular elective credit offered by the five high schools, has proven to be highly popular and successful. “The program we started two years ago to get kids into pre-apprenticeship programs has tripled our enrollment and we’ve outgrown the facility! The grant enables us to expand our classrooms and utilize the entire facility to better serve the students enrolled in pre-apprenticeship programs for Electrical, Carpentry, HVAC, or Welding,” Johnson continued.
“The generosity of support from the great folks at The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation makes possible a host of benefits back into this Region because they view this as an economic driver. Our kids stay home and build the communities that they live in. They shop here, eat here, buy homes and vehicles here, and send their kids to school here. I have always viewed The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation as making a great investment in GMCA with a fantastic return on investment,” said Stephanie Davis, Director of Training & Workforce Development.
“Our trustees were impressed with the quality education and hands-on training GMCA provides to support student success for “in demand” careers in our skilled trades,” said Macauley Whiting, Jr., President of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation.
For more information on pre-requisites and class fees contact GMCA at (989) 832-8879, sdavis@gmca.edu or visit our web site at www.gmca.edu
GMCA’s mission is to Educate thru collaboration of the Construction Industry. Our Membership, Employees, and Communities; to develop Professional Workplace
Competencies and Skills while promoting the Construction Industry as a Career Choice. For more information contact us at 989.832.8879 or sdavis@gmca.edu