ABC-SEMI Southeast Michigan Contractors Issue 4, 2021

Southeast Michigan Contractors Issue 4 2021 15 SEMCA Record Number of Students Enroll at SEMCA Demand for trained professionals in the trades is at an all-time high and will continue to grow. So it was no surprise that on the first day of school for Southeast Michigan Construction Academy (SEMCA) they had a record turn out! More than 180 first year students enrolled for the 2021–22 year exploring careers in the trades—the highest in the history of the academy. “Our academy has been growing and changing over the last four years,” said Mickey Mortimer, Vice President of SEMCA. “With the board’s vision of tripling enrollment in five years, we are also looking for new ways to educate the SE Michigan area and to attract new and more students to our school and the trades in general. We will remain firmly rooted in delivering hands-on, high-quality trades apprenticeship education for ABC members and non-members alike.” SEMCA has created inventive ways of delivering programming to a variety of students and customizing their hybrid program to meet the needs of new generations of students as well as changing trends in the industry. “Our students need skills that make them an asset to their employers on the jobsite,” said Deanna Morley, Education Director for SEMCA. “In addition to their four-year trades’ instruction, we will grow our specialty class offerings. Demands across the trade industry has created a huge void in available talent. At SEMCA, we hope to offer students a challenging but