Historic Expansion of STEM Career Exposure to Boost As Many As 10,000 PreK-12 Students Pursuing Advanced Manufacturing Opportunities

New partnership aims to promote a world-class talent development pipeline that will strengthen skills, provide teacher support, and increase work-based learning experiences

BAY CITY, Mich. - Business and education leaders from the Great Lakes Bay Region announced today a historic new partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) that aims to boost PreK-12 students' opportunities to pursue state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing careers while promoting a world-class talent development pipeline for the region's high-tech employers.

The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance (GLBRA), Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District (BAISD) and Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC) are leading this first-of-its-kind effort with funding support highlighted by the award of a new $269,000 grant through a joint initiative from the MEDC and the MiSTEM Network.

The funding for this public-private partnership - which aligns with the state's strategic effort to help spur Michigan's emerging industries with innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education - will support career awareness and exploration for PreK-12 students across the eight-county region who are focused on high-tech advanced manufacturing learning opportunities. The eight counties include Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw.

The GLBRA projects that at least 10,000 PreK, elementary, middle, and high school students in the Great Lakes Bay Region will be served through activities on STEM exploration in some classrooms, museums and community STEM events beginning this 2025-2026 academic year.

"Our goal is to be one of the nation's leading PreK-12 educational institutions in advanced manufacturing programming," BAISD Superintendent Shelly DuCharme said during a news conference in the Bay City-based ISD Career Center's cutting-edge robotics engineering laboratory this morning.

"We are committed to providing accessible and industry-relevant knowledge and training that will equip PreK-12 students across the Great Lakes Bay Region with unparalleled expertise necessary to excel in these high-demand, high-paying sectors," DuCharme said.

The STEM Career Awareness push is unique and unprecedented because of the diverse array of partners collaborating for the first time to support the educational and inspiring effort, which includes but is not limited to:

• Mobile Museums of the Midland Center for the Arts
• Mid-Michigan College
• Gratiot-Isabella Regional Educational Service District
• Clare-Gladwin Regional Educational Service District
• Saginaw Intermediate School District
• Midland Regional Educational Service Area
• Mid-Michigan Manufacturers Association (previously known as the Central Michigan Manufacturers Association and Great Lakes Bay Manufacturers Association)
• Central Michigan University Center for Excellence in STEM Education and,
• Saginaw Valley State University

Key areas include advanced manufacturing skills and a focus on electronics and circuits pertinent to electric vehicles (EV), mobility, and semiconductors, alongside a strong emphasis on STEM integration to build strong foundational skills.

Skill development will be accompanied by student exposure to STEM careers needed in the semiconductor workforce. Additionally, 75 teachers and counselors will be engaged in company tours and professional development to enhance their ability to incorporate MiSTEM's statewide STEM strategy through "3P" (place-, project-, and problem-based) learning and career awareness activities into lessons.​

"Michigan has made a bipartisan commitment to STEM learning because it is key to a brighter future for all," said MiSTEM Network Executive Director Megan Schrauben. "The Great Lakes Bay Region announcement today shows that by acting now, Michigan can ensure its students aren't just prepared for high-demand careers but are inspired to build their futures here, in the communities previous generations helped shape."

In FY 24-25, the state's $7.9 million MiSTEM investment led to $11.5 million in additional investment from partners - a 45% return on the state allocation, which led to:

• 55,213 students engaged in camps, projects and career exploration.
• 8,187 educators trained through professional learning.
• 135 educator externships connecting classrooms to industry.
• 936 cross-sector partnerships
• 412 coordinated STEM activities across all regions.

"I am confident our effort will be recognized throughout Michigan and the entire country as the blueprint for how to build a world-class talent pipeline that will help students to enjoy thriving careers while also meeting our advanced manufacturing industry's needs," said Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance Executive Vice President Ken Horn, who served for 14 years as a Republican in the Michigan Legislature and is a longtime champion of professional trades and advanced manufacturing education and training programs.

"Michigan is among the first states in the nation with a consortium, spearheaded by the MEDC, that has successfully identified the key skills and competencies that both students and employers need to drive future microchip and advanced manufacturing development," said Michigan state Rep. Amos O'Neal, D-Saginaw. "I'm delighted the Great Lakes Bay Region is going to build upon that foundation of achievement."

As one of the region's leading advanced manufacturers, Hemlock Semiconductor will play a vital role in both supporting and benefiting from this initiative.

HSC is a majority-owned subsidiary of Corning Incorporated, and a leading global producer of hyper-pure polysilicon. The company's high-purity polysilicon serves as the essential raw material for creating silicon wafers, which are used as the base for computer chips in electronics and for solar panels in the renewable energy sector. HSC is the only polysilicon manufacturer headquartered in the United States, and the company is a crucial part of the domestic semiconductor and solar supply chains.

"STEM education is a strategic investment in our region. At Hemlock Semiconductor, we're committed to cultivating the next generation of innovators by supporting hands-on, career-connected learning," said AB Ghosh, Chairman and CEO, Hemlock Semiconductor.

"We're proud to partner with the Great Lakes Bay Region to create real-world experiences that inspire youth and strengthen our local workforce - building the talent and resilience our industry needs to thrive," Ghosh said.

The overarching strategic investments include ensuring that every student across the Great Lakes Bay Region has numerous educational and experiential exposures to careers in advanced technology and sustainable energy careers, and graduates with a clear, confident post-secondary plan, backed by practical experience and family support.

"By providing opportunities for applied learning through classroom lessons, field trips, family and community events, internships, apprenticeships, and industry collaborations, students can make informed career choices, promoting pathways that lead to economic stability and financial freedom through valuable credentials and practical skills," said Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance STEM Initiative Leader Lori Flippin.

Introducing career awareness lessons at an early age to elementary and middle schoolers helps students understand the variety of career paths available in advanced technology and sustainable energy, such as careers in semiconductors, mobility, and electric vehicles. By incorporating interactive and age-appropriate activities, these lessons can spark early interest and provide a foundation for more specialized learning in high school and beyond.

"This truly is a unique and powerful partnership with state government, private industry and education leaders all rowing in the same direction to drive Michigan forward in this vital segment of our state and national economy," said MEDC Director of Strategic Talent Initiatives Spencer Lucker.

"Michigan is a global leader and hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation, and we have grown our semiconductor industry footprint aggressively," Lucker said. "We have proven over generations that we create some of the world's best and brightest engineers and technicians right here in Michigan, and MEDC is proud to make this investment to continue that tradition. Let's keep working together to bring advanced manufacturing and critical supply chains home as we create economic opportunities for hard-working Michiganders and inspire the next generation of innovators and creators in every region to build a brighter future for Michigan."

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit https://www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at https://www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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