A re-release of Launch Michigan’s March 2026 Webinar, with some adjustments to fit the podcast format.

NOTE: Elements of the MEG may change or develop over time.

What if the choice between college and the skilled trades is a false one?

In this episode of the Launch Michigan Podcast, Dr. Venessa Keesler sits down with Jack Elsey, founder and CEO of the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative (MEWI), and Lawrence Hood, superintendent of Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences (DAAS), to discuss how strategic staffing and team-based teaching models can help address Michigan's educator workforce challenges.

In this episode, we explore what the research says about early literacy, the critical importance of strong instruction in kindergarten through second grade, and why waiting until third grade is often too late.

Whether you're an educator, policymaker, employer, parent, or student, this discussion offers a practical look at how Michigan can redesign the high school experience to better prepare young people for the future.