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Michigan is Automobility Report: The Home for Automotive Talent and the Industry’s Electric Future

September 19, 2021
DETROIT (Sept. 20, 2021) – Today, MICHauto, a statewide initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber, released its annual Michigan is Automobility report, which comprehensively explores the state of the automotive and mobility industry in Michigan. The report shows the remarkable strength and resilience of the industry in Michigan despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a global supply chain disruption of semiconductor chips, and a labor shortage. The assets and resources of the automobility ecosystem in Michigan are unparalleled. There is no greater density of research, design, engineering, testing, and advanced manufacturing anywhere in the world.

“The strength of Michigan’s automotive and mobility industry has led to a faster and more robust economic recovery for Michigan than the nation as a whole,” said Glenn Stevens Jr., executive director of MICHauto and vice president of automotive and mobility initiatives for the Detroit Regional Chamber. “The report clearly shows the importance of innovation and talent attraction for the industry and our state. Investing in mobility will lead to an expansion of data science, robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation that positions Michigan for sustained economic growth.”

Released in coordination with the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference and the MICHauto on the Island convenings taking place Sept. 20 and 21, the report explores the continuous transformation of the industry. Some key statistics and trends highlighted in the report include:

Michigan’s Automobility Ecosystem

  • The mobility industry’s total gross economic output was $304 billion in 2019, representing 28% of Michigan’s gross economic output.
  • 1 million automotive or mobility jobs representing 20% of Michigan’s employment.
  • 26 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) have headquarters or technology centers in Michigan
  • 96 of the top 100 automotive suppliers to North American have a presence in Michigan, and 60 are headquartered here, with more than 2,200 engineering, design, and testing facilities.

Leading the Electric Future

  • Michigan is paving the way for greater EV advancement through investments in new facilities that will produce all-electric vehicles and their components. $10.6 billion invested in electric and autonomous vehicle firms in Michigan from 2010-2020.
  • One-third of all battery production and development in the U.S. takes place in Michigan, positioning the state to be at the epicenter of the next decade of automotive production and innovation.
  • One area of opportunity for the state is the expansion of EV charging infrastructure. Currently, Michigan ranks 32nd in public EV charging stations per capita, with just over 720 stations available.

Michigan’s Strength in Manufacturing Talent

  • Michigan has the highest number of mechanical engineers (40,300) and the second-highest concentration of industrial engineers (25,380) employed in the U.S.
  • Michigan has the third-highest number of engineers in the nation, with 104,870 working in the state.
  • State higher education institutions awarded 133,579 degrees in 2020, and more than 8,500 were in engineering.
  • However, the industry continues to suffer from a labor shortage. In the first six months of 2021, there were 8,194 unique engineering job postings available in Michigan.
  • In addition to engineering talent, more than 1.2 million people are working in the skilled trades in the state.

 Steps to Increase Diversity and Gender Balance

  • Women make up 28% of automotive manufacturing jobs, compared to 49% of all industries.
  • 32% of Michigan’s automotive manufacturing jobs are filled by racially diverse workers, compared to 22% of jobs across all industries.
  • MICHauto partnered with the Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion, and Advancement to create the CEO Coalition for Change in 2020. The coalition is committed to making meaningful strides in diversity, equity, and inclusion to become a more inclusive industry, leverage diverse talent, and better engage the workforce.

For more information, including the full Michigan is Automobility report, visit https://michauto.org/latest-reports/

MICHauto is a statewide economic development initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber, dedicated to promoting, retaining, and growing the automotive industry in Michigan. MICHauto embodies a public-private strategy, championing Michigan as the global epicenter of the automotive and mobility industry and providing a platform for collaboration on advocacy, business attraction and retention, and talent attraction and development. Serving as the unified voice of Michigan’s automotive industry cluster, MICHauto works closely with the Michigan Economic Development Corp., Original Equipment Suppliers Association, Center for Automotive Research, and other Michigan and national organizations. To learn more, visit MICHauto.org.