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It's a big day for the skilled trades in Southeast Michigan. A brand-new 100,000-square-foot facility opened Oct. 9 in Sterling Heights that will help train the next generation of skilled trade workers. Kimberly Gill is live at the Southeast Michigan Construction Academy, also known as "SEMCA," with more on Friday’s grand opening.

Ever since we started our Trade Up series, we've had our eyes opened to amazing opportunities in the skilled trades at all levels.  For example, did you know there's an Electrical Craft Championship this weekend? It's put together by the Southeast Michigan Construction Academy (SEMCA). We talked with Deanna Morley, the vice president of SEMCA, about the big competition.

We have a Trade Up follow-up -- we're congratulating the winner on an Electrical Craft Championship. About 200 level three and level four electrical students started with written exams. The top ten advanced to this portion. They had eight hours to create full installations from blueprints they had never seen.  Liam Duncan won the championship and will represent Southeast Michigan at the national championships in Salt Lake City, Utah, next March. Duncan already works for a company called Power Solutions. He joined Local 4 Live to talk about his experience through the championship and what's ahead of him.

AUGUST 29, 2023 / 11:15 PM / CBS DETROIT

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - While college students are heading back to class, more and more young people are heading to trade school. Financial and societal shifts have led trade schools to record-breaking enrollment numbers.

WESTLAND — A large trade school plans to expand into Wayne County with a new learning facility. The Southeast Michigan Construction Academy, based in Madison Heights, purchased the building at 35600 Central City Parkway, next to U.S. Ice, and plans to open a new Westland academy this fall. The campus will be SEMCA's second school.

A growing number of people interested in learning a skilled trade will have an opportunity starting this fall at a new location in Westland — the first skilled training facility to be funded with state monies.

MADISON HEIGHTS — As local manufacturers and business owners continue to look for skilled building tradespeople to work in their shops, educators are finding ways to share opportunities for learning trades with their students.

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - The tools are in place to build a future in skilled trades, and there is a need for the type of work taught at the Southeast Michigan Construction Academy.