Manufacturers, Lyft urge Michigan expansion of high-school 'Ignite' manufacturing curriculum

Manufacturing and nonprofit representatives told the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and the Department of Education that a three‑year, industry‑aligned career and technical education curriculum called Ignite should be expanded to more Michigan high schools.

Mike Johnson, executive vice president for government affairs at the Michigan Manufacturers Association, and Joe Steele, vice president of communications and legislative affairs for Lyft, spoke at the committee hearing and described Ignite as a hands‑on set of six semester‑long courses for high school students that emphasizes advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and digital systems.

The program’s backers said Ignite pairs classroom equipment with teacher professional development and industry certifications to create direct pathways into manufacturing careers. "If we don't have people with the right skill sets, we can't compete around the globe," Johnson said, arguing that manufacturing needs a stronger pipeline of skilled workers. Steele described Lyft as "a Department of Defense‑supported national manufacturing innovation institute" that develops both technology and talent.

Ignite details and scope

Speakers said Ignite is a three‑year, foundational high‑school program with six semester courses covering introductory advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and digital manufacturing systems, and culminating capstone team projects. Steele said Ignite is offered in roughly 18 states and about 50 schools nationwide, and that roughly 37,000 students have taken at least one Ignite course since the program launched. The program aligns with industry credentials through the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) and may be accepted for college credit at some community colleges, Steele said, citing Macomb and Oakland as examples.

Cost, equipment and rollout

Steele told legislators the equipment package to run the six‑course Ignite sequence is approximately $400,000 per school "all in." He said the curriculum and teacher training comes with that investment and that Lyft’s Detroit learning lab equipment has remained operational for about a decade. Committee members asked how long equipment and curriculum remain current; Steele said Lyft and its industry partners continuously work to update curriculum and that teacher professional development is included.

Local partnerships and internships

Committee members pressed about local employer connections and student work experience. Steele said Lyft and its partners maintain a large national partner network (he said about 390 industrial partners nationwide) and that Lyft is partnering with groups such as the Engineering Society of Detroit on internship pilots. Johnson described the Michigan Manufacturers Association’s role as a connector between schools and local manufacturers, giving the committee a concrete example of a Grand Haven program that linked a local high school to a nearby employer.

State support and near‑term expansion

Speakers thanked the legislature for prior support that funded Ignite expansion to two Michigan schools through the FY24 budget and said additional Michigan sites are in startup or recruitment phases for the coming school year, naming Troy, Dalton Kellogg and Kalamazoo‑area schools as places preparing to begin in the fall. Steele said equipment deliveries for some sites were expected to arrive the week of the hearing.

Why it matters

Committee members framed the pitch as a workforce response to employer demand for skilled technical workers. Johnson said manufacturing remains a major sector in Michigan and that creating pathways in high school helps keep students on routes to well‑paid jobs.

What the presenters asked for

Lyft and MMA requested continued legislative support for expanding Ignite in Michigan and for partnerships with local districts and employers to sustain programs and internships. They emphasized teacher training and ongoing industry engagement as critical to program longevity.

Provenance

topicintro: excerpt from hearing docket introducing the Lyft presentation (block_id:220.01001). topicfinish: close of Lyft presentation and handoff to committee questions (block_id:1072.945).