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SEMA opens Sterling Heights campus and seeks state capital to expand labs and equipment
Summary
Southeast Michigan Construction Academy (SEMA) said it opened a renovated Sterling Heights campus serving 400+ students and asked for capital to complete welding, HVAC and electrical labs and buy industry equipment to expand training capacity without raising tuition.
SEMA leaders told the Appropriations Subcommittee that the organization moved rapidly this year to convert a former call center into a roughly 100,000 square‑foot training campus and enrolled more than 400 students in the fall. "We now serve over 800 students working towards careers in electrical, carpentry, welding, HVAC, and other skilled trades," said Dina Moley, SEMA vice president, describing employer demand across southeast Michigan.
SEMA asked the legislature for capital to complete lab expansions, buy industry equipment such as scissor lifts and forklifts, and finish restrooms and building systems in a second building on the campus. CFO Dave Stout said the nonprofit borrowed and raised private funds to purchase and reopen the site and that the state investment would prevent tuition increases. "We went out and borrowed money, raised money from members and used savings — in three months we turned a call center into a school for 500 students," Stout said, urging capital support to expand capacity.
Committee members asked whether students come from across the state (most are southeast Michigan residents) and whether the request would fund operations (SEMA said the ask is 100% capital; operations are tuition‑funded). The committee did not take a vote on the request during the session.
