Electric vehicle 'workforce hub' coming to Michigan, White House says

Biden's speech touted a deal with Micron to expand semiconductor manufacturing and the launch of workforce hubs in several states.

The new initiative will "target Detroit as well as Lansing, Grand Rapids, Marshall — places with major battery facilities going up," the White House said in an email to The Detroit News.

The Biden administration said it worked closely with Michigan stakeholders in planning the workforce hub, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, automakers and the UAW.

The U.S. Departments of Energy and Labor will be the primary federal agencies involved in the hub. The Energy Department also unveiled a new training program for battery plant jobs in Michigan last month.

Thursday's workforce hub announcement comes as Vice President Kamala Harris said she plans to visit Detroit the week after next as part of a nationwide economic opportunity tour focused on investing in communities and “building wealth.”

Harris, who starts the tour in Atlanta on April 29, is expected to emphasize the work the Biden administration has done to boost access to capital, strengthen small businesses, address housing costs, forgive student loans and medical debt and fund infrastructure projects, according to an announcement from the White House. The release did not provide a date or other details of the vice president's Detroit stop.

Harris was last in Michigan in February ahead of the state's Feb. 27 presidential primary election, when she gave a speech about abortion rights in Grand Rapids.

Michigan U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, applauded the workforce development hub announcement in a joint statement, saying the hub will "ensure that Michigan’s workers, unions, and businesses who power our auto industry continue to lead the clean energy future. This hub will help provide existing workers and factories with the tools and support they need to play a leading role in the transition to electric vehicles."

Stabenow added, “Michigan workers are the best in the world. President Biden’s decision to locate this workforce hub in Michigan showcases our innovation and leadership in our clean energy future. This investment means that workers who have powered our auto industry for years will power the electric vehicle industry into the future.”