Launch Michigan and SBAM Partner to Help Close the Gap in the Workforce Shortage

Do you remember when you would break for recess in elementary school? Can you still picture the bright colors of the jungle gym or the smell of fresh asphalt? Did you and your friends ever quiz each other on the spelling of different words? My favorite quiz question to ask was always, “Can you spell Mississippi? Miss-iss-ipp-i.”

In recent years, Mississippi has been at the forefront of the education atmosphere, as they were able to shift their literacy rates from 49th in the nation to 20th in a matter of 10 years. As we’ve watched these efforts take shape, Mississippi has become the beacon of hope for literacy rates and student success out – comes across the nation.

In Michigan, there are various associations, coalitions, and policymakers committed to improving the outcomes of student success and postsecondary preparedness across the state. And when you think of postsecondary preparedness, the first thought that may come to mind is college readiness. However, ensuring students are career ready and prepared to enter the workforce is just as important.

At SBAM, one of our main policy platforms is Education and Workforce Development, as we see the need for the state to align its education system to focus on skill development and readiness while also expanding workforce programs. To move toward this goal, SBAM has partnered with Launch Michigan, which is a coalition of different education and business organizations alike, working to reshape Michigan’s educational framework.

During a gathering of SBAM volunteer leadership this past fall, there was a roundtable workgroup session where members were able to come together to talk about the issues they face as small business owners. Many shared the same sentiment – there’s a shortage of qualified talent in the workforce. Through our partnership with Launch Michigan, SBAM is working to help share these stories with legislators in Lansing.

The Michigan Education Guarantee, or the MEG, is a proposed framework introduced by Launch Michigan that would ensure students are career ready just as much as college ready. At its core, the MEG focuses on including work-based graduation requirements for high school students as part of its overall education guarantee.

Beginning in grade nine, students would be required to have a sequence of career-focused experiences, which could include anything from career-technical education (CTE) to dual enrollment, work-based learning, apprenticeships, and more. By grade 12, and in order to graduate, students would be required to complete a capstone project that demonstrates their readiness for their post-secondary goals, ensuring they are ready to take the next step into their futures.

An initiative like this would be in partnership with businesses, institutions of higher learning, and community organizations that show there are vast opportunities to expand career-focused learning across the state. Successful implementation also includes
engaging our state legislators in the process to gain understanding of the pending positive impacts, thereby garnering support within the halls of the Capitol.

By embedding career-focused experiences into high school education, we can work to close the gap in the workforce shortage and create a pipeline of skilled, adaptable workers ready to meet the demands of a changing economy. Like we saw with the investments in education made in Mississippi, the MEG framework offers a bold solution, aligning education with real-world opportunities and ensuring students leave high school with
the confidence and skills to succeed.

To learn more about our Education and Workforce Development policy positions, please visit www.sbam.org/sbam-policy -positions/.

By Francesca Rocco-Ellis, SBAM Grassroots Coordinator & Policy Advisor; originally published in SBAM’s January/February 2026 issue of FOCUS magazine

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