TeamUp Academy asks subcommittee to fund scale‑up of veteran and entry‑level manufacturing training in Southeast Michigan

TeamUp Academy founder John Bones asked a House appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday for state support to expand a nonprofit vocational training and placement program that serves veterans, returning citizens and other jobseekers in Southeast Michigan.

Bones told the Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity that a modest state investment would increase the academy’s training capacity by roughly 200 percent — from about 9–10 trainees per month to a target of 25 per month (roughly 300 individuals annually) — and expand stackable certificates, counseling and employer partnerships that the nonprofit says will improve sustainable placement.

“Starting right, to left, we have Kevin Lehi … great veteran, came from Dingell Hospital,” Bones said as he introduced instructors, graduates and program partners. Bones described an initial pilot in April 2024 and said TeamUp now runs a 30‑day entry bootcamp and 8‑week step‑up programs in CNC machining, forklift certification and other industry skills.

Tamiko Richardson, education and training director for Cerrado Corporation (the organization Bones identified as a national partner), described a Warriors to Work pipeline intended to bring transitioning veterans — including service members leaving the San Diego area — to Michigan for training and placement. Richardson said Cerrado operates Job Corps centers in Genesee and Wayne counties and would support recruitment, training and housing connections.

TeamUp’s current facility in Warren is a 40,000‑square‑foot production‑oriented site that the organization uses for hands‑on training; Bones said the academy partners with employers in automotive, aerospace and defense and is working with Macomb Community College to scale curriculum delivery. He named employer partners and said one employer expects to recruit roughly 70 hires in the next 18 months.

Bones and partners set placement goals and program metrics: they seek an 85 percent veteran placement rate (up from about 50 percent currently), expect a 35 percent reduction in justice‑involved participants entering the criminal justice system through training supports, and forecast that roughly 15 percent of trainees could be out‑of‑state recruits who relocate for work. Bones said the academy uses an LMS that includes SME tooling‑based modules and plans to add Lincoln Electric welding certifications.

A veteran graduate, Donald Teasley, told the subcommittee the training helped him rebuild job skills and confidence: “Since I started the class, they’ve given us a lot of skills,” Teasley said, citing hands‑on training, soft skills and mentorship.

Representative Martis raised questions about TeamUp’s origins in a church and whether state funding would create any conflict with nondiscrimination laws such as the Elliot‑Larsen Civil Rights Act; Bones said the program separates mentorship offered by partner churches from training and that placements and services are provided without discrimination.

No formal appropriation vote was taken during the hearing. Bones said he had submitted an appropriation request to the subcommittee but did not specify an amount during his presentation.

The subcommittee adjourned after presentations and questions.