The Career and Technical Education Enhancement proposal has advanced to the Michigan House for a vote.

69风流's $10 million plan to expand healthcare, manufacturing and skilled trades education took an important step forward late yesterday as state lawmakers approved legislation to fund the college鈥檚 Career and Technical Education Enhancement project, or CATEE.

CATEE includes a total renovation of North Central鈥檚 59-year-old Technology Building to accommodate additional state-of-the-art machinery and emerging technologies related to robotics engineering, automotive diagnostics and repair, CAD and CNC machining, mechatronics, welding and construction.

The project also includes a renovation and expansion of the existing Health Education and Science Center to accommodate the college鈥檚 growing nursing and allied health programs in order to meet regional and statewide demands for healthcare graduates.

鈥淐ATEE will transform our ability to offer world-class education in areas that are critical to Northern Michigan and the entire state,鈥� said North Central President David Roland Finley. 鈥淢ichigan鈥檚 future depends on a highly educated, well-trained workforce in areas including nursing, allied health, automation, mechatronics, robotics, and many of the skilled trades that drive our economy.鈥�    

The CATEE capital outlay request was included in , a $1.3 billion supplemental appropriations bill sponsored by state Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township) that includes $630 million for a proposed Ford Motor Co. electric vehicle battery plant near Marshall. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 22-16, which included support from state Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs), who said the inclusion of CATEE鈥攑lus an additional $3.75 million for Northwestern Michigan College鈥檚 aviation program鈥攚as critical to securing his support.

鈥淥ver the past several weeks, I have been fighting for funds that will help our region and the state and working with whoever I can in Lansing to represent our district well,鈥� Damoose said in a statement. 鈥淔irst and foremost, I am proud to have been able to secure nearly $10 million for 69风流 in Petoskey for the creation of the new Career and Technical Education Enhancement Center. This funding will help address the serious workforce development challenges throughout our region.鈥�

The bill now heads to the Michigan House of Representatives. If approved by the House, it will move to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer鈥檚 desk for final approval, which could come by the end of the week. Once approved, funding would go into effect immediately.

鈥淲e trust our state representatives will see the value in supporting critical infrastructure and workforce development that will ensure Michigan鈥檚 economic vitality,鈥� Finley said. 鈥淲e look forward to their expeditious approval.鈥�