Skilled trades · apprenticeships · unions
Get paid to learn a trade. Graduate with no debt.
A registered apprenticeship is a full-time job plus classes, usually 2 to 5 years. You get raises as your skills grow, and you finish with a credential that's recognized nationally. Michigan has more than 24,000 active apprentices, among the most of any state, and people who complete one earn a median of almost $90,000 a year later.
How an apprenticeship works
You earn from day one
Pay usually starts around 45% to 60% of what a fully trained worker (a "journeyperson") makes, and goes up on a set schedule. Union programs include health care and a pension.
School is free or close to it
Classroom training, often one day every other week or a few nights a week, is paid by the union fund or the employer. Many building trades apprenticeships now transfer into college credit at 22 Michigan community colleges.
It's "registered"
The program is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, so the credential travels with you anywhere in the country. In Michigan, the federal Office of Apprenticeship registers programs and the state's LEO agency helps fund and grow them.
Typical requirements
18 or older (a few take 17), a high school diploma or GED, a driver's license and reliable transportation, a math or aptitude test and an interview. Some require a drug screen.
Union or open shop? Both offer registered apprenticeships. Union programs are run jointly by a union and contractors, include benefits and pension and usually have set application windows each year. Open-shop programs are run by contractor associations and you are hired by one employer, often with rolling applications. Michigan repealed its right-to-work law in 2023, effective February 2024.
Sources: U.S. DOL, Registered Apprenticeship · LEO 2025 Annual Report · LEO, College Credit for Apprenticeships · 2023 PA 8
Union training centers
The fastest single starting point is MUST Construction Careers, the application hub for the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council's unions. Or go straight to a trade below. Application windows open once or twice a year, so check now and sign up for alerts.
| Trade | Where to apply | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician (IBEW and NECA) | Detroit, IBEW 58 · West Michigan, IBEW 275 · Lansing, IBEW 665 · Ann Arbor, IBEW 252 · Kalamazoo, IBEW 131 · U.P., IBEW 906 | 4 to 5 years. West Michigan example: 8,000 paid job hours plus 720 classroom hours, starting at 45% of journeyman pay and rising to 80%. |
| Plumber, pipefitter, HVAC (UA) | Detroit plumbers, Local 98 · Detroit pipefitters, Local 636 · West Michigan, Local 174 · Lansing, Local 333 · Flint, Local 370 · Kalamazoo, Local 357 · Saginaw, Local 85 · Sprinkler fitters, Local 704 | Usually 5 years. Detroit plumbers example: 10,000 job hours plus school one day every other week. |
| Carpenter, millwright | Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights | About 4 years. Training free to members. Pay starts at 55% to 70% of journeyman scale. |
| Heavy equipment operator | Operating Engineers Local 324 (Howell training center) | Construction and stationary engineer tracks. Has a direct-entry path for high school CTE grads. |
| Ironworker | Ironworkers Local 25 (Wixom) | Connects to a Washtenaw Community College degree. |
| Construction laborer | LIUNA Training of Michigan | As little as 2 years: about 4,000 work hours plus 300 training hours. One of the faster entries. |
| Sheet metal | SMART Local 80 (Detroit) | Paid during school. Entrance exam score stays valid 2 years. |
| Painter, drywall finisher, glazier | Painters District Council 1M | Training through the Finishing Trades Institute of the Great Lakes. |
| Boilermaker | Boilermakers Local 169 | 4 years: 6,000 hours plus 576 classroom and shop hours. |
| Roofer | Roofers Local 149 JATC (Oak Park) | Contact for current schedule. |
| Elevator constructor | NEIEP · IUEC Local 85 | At least 8,000 job hours plus a final mechanic exam. Competitive. |
| Bricklayer, insulator, cement mason | Apply through MUST | MUST routes you to the right local. |
Program lengths shown are from each training center's own site where it lists them. Where a center doesn't post details, contact it directly. This list covers major centers, not every local in Michigan.
Run a training center or apprenticeship program? You're listed here free, always. Founding partners also show up in the personal plans of people who pick their trade in their counties, with an "applications open" banner during their window.
Open-shop (non-union) programs
Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan runs registered apprenticeships in 11 crafts, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, pipefitting and welding. You are hired by a member contractor, work days and take classes at night.
- Southeast Michigan Construction Academy (Sterling Heights)
- Greater Michigan Construction Academy
- West Michigan Construction Institute
Manufacturing apprenticeships (machinist, tool and die, maintenance technician, mechatronics) are usually run by individual employers. Your Michigan Works! office and community college know which local manufacturers sponsor them.
Not ready to apply yet?
A pre-apprenticeship is a short program, often free, that teaches the math, safety, tool basics and certifications (like OSHA 10) that apprenticeship interviews look for. Many guarantee an interview at the end.
- MARC: the state's searchable list of endorsed pre-apprenticeship programs.
- Detroit at Work: free carpentry, construction laborer and solar pre-apprenticeships for Detroit residents.
- Construction Careers MI: an overview of the trades from the building trades unions.
- Helmets to Hardhats: for veterans. Many apprenticeships are GI Bill approved, so you can get a housing allowance on top of wages.
- High school students: a CTE construction, electrical or welding program at your ISD tech center is the best preparation there is, and some unions have a direct-entry path for CTE grads.
Licensing: the hours that count
Some trades need a state license from LARA (the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs). Apprenticeship hours are how you earn it, so register as an apprentice with LARA within 30 days of starting. Hours worked without a current registration don't count.
| License | What it takes |
|---|---|
| Journeyman electrician | Age 20+. 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as a registered apprentice, then pass the exam. |
| Master electrician | Age 22+. 12,000 hours over at least 6 years, including 4,000 as a journeyman holding the license 2+ years. |
| Journey plumber | Age 18+. 6,000 hours over at least 3 years. |
| Master plumber | 4,000 hours over at least 2 years as a journey plumber. |
| Mechanical contractor (HVAC and more) | 3 years or 6,000 hours in each work classification, plus an exam per classification. |
| Residential builder | Age 18+. 60 hours of approved pre-license education plus an exam. No apprenticeship required. |
LARA is updating its skilled trades rules in 2026. Confirm current requirements before you apply.
Sources: LARA, Electrical · LARA, Plumbing · LARA, Mechanical · LARA, Residential Builders
Trades Michigan will need most
From the state's 2026 Hot 50 list, which projects jobs through 2034. Wages are the middle half of workers, hourly.
| Job | Openings a year | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 6,650 | $23-$30 |
| Construction laborers | 3,110 | $22-$30 |
| Electricians | 2,450 | $24-$44 |
| Automotive service technicians | 2,090 | $21-$32 |
| Industrial machinery mechanics | 1,900 | $28-$37 |
| HVAC and refrigeration mechanics | 1,360 | $23-$37 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | 1,145 | $28-$46 |
| Electrical power-line installers | 295 | $41-$60 |
Source: Michigan Center for Data and Analytics, Michigan Hot 50 Job Outlook through 2034
Common questions
How do you become a licensed electrician in Michigan?
Through a registered apprenticeship. After 8,000 hours over at least four years as a registered apprentice, and at age 20 or older, you can take the journeyman electrician exam from LARA. Register as an apprentice with LARA within 30 days of starting, because hours without a current registration don't count.
Source: Michigan LARA
How long does it take to become a plumber in Michigan?
At least three years. A journey plumber license requires 6,000 hours over at least three years, at age 18 or older. A master plumber license takes another 4,000 hours over at least two years as a journey plumber.
Source: Michigan LARA
Do apprentices get paid in Michigan?
Yes, from day one. Apprentices earn wages that rise as their skills grow, and classroom training is usually free. Michigan has more than 24,500 active apprentices, and people who complete an apprenticeship earn a median of almost $90,000 a year later.
Source: Michigan LEO
Can high school students do an apprenticeship in Michigan?
Yes, from age 16. A youth registered apprenticeship is a paid job with a training plan registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, and the hours count toward the full apprenticeship after graduation. Some Early Middle Colleges build one in.
Source: Michigan Department of Education