FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 28, 2025
Contact: Leah Leszczynski, lleszczynski@miaflcio.org, 989.316.6044
Labor and community partners bring pathways to progress to Pontiac resident
PONTIAC, MI – Today, the Michigan AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute (WDI), community partners, labor allies, and students gathered to celebrate the upcoming expansion of WDI’s apprenticeship readiness program, called Access for All, into Pontiac. Access for All provides soft skills and physical training, safety training, and wraparound support services. Upon graduation, students earn industry recognized credentials — an important step on the path to a good-paying career in the skilled trades.
“Because of Access for All, I will have gone from having few prospects to becoming a bricklaying apprentice in less than a year. To anyone considering one of WDI’s programs, I want to tell you that you can only gain from them,” said Nathanial KILLINS, a graduate of Access for All. “I am grateful for WDI’s work and look forward to seeing their continued, positive impact in Pontiac.”
Across its apprenticeship readiness programs, WDI has had 665 enrollees, 594 completed the program and 89% of them are from underserved (people of color, women, unemployed, young) communities over the past three years alone.
“This program changes lives — by empowering one individual at a time, we empower families and communities that have been overlooked for too long,” said Chong-Anna CANFORA, executive director of the Michigan AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute. “We are grateful to our partners who made this program possible and look forward to sharing the success of Access for All with the Pontiac community.”
“Nobody makes it on their own. Like anything else, career training requires a village. We are excited to be a part of WDI’s village and participate in this life-changing program through the provision of community services,” said Carlton D. JONES, coordinator of talent development at Carnav Group.
“LiUNA has partnered with WDI on Access for All programs throughout the state because we know it works,” said Tyrese WEST, apprenticeship coordinator at LiUNA Local 1076. “We look forward to building on our success of welcoming students into the skilled trades from the Pontiac area.”
“The people of Pontiac deserve more opportunity — that is exactly what Access for All provides,” said State Representative Brenda CARTER (D-Pontiac). “I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make this program possible and look forward to seeing AFA participants uplift our community.”
WDI’s programs provide services to job seekers and employers throughout the state of Michigan and are a collaborative effort between the labor movement, businesses, and dedicated instructors and staff. By providing apprenticeship readiness, registered apprenticeship, and occupational skills training, as well as career exploration and job placement services for youth and adults, WDI has helped open pathways to prosperity in the skilled trades for people across the state. WDI’s programs have served more than 60,000 Michigan job seekers since its incorporation in 1988. Those interested in applying to an apprenticeship readiness program can do so at miwdi.org/accessforall.
Video of the press conference can be found here. B-roll can be found here.
###