Essential workers in Michigan would be eligible for free college under a new plan being proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The plan, modeled on the GI Bill, would pay for college for those front-line workers who don't have a college degree, Whitmer said in announcing it Wednesday. Those eligible would be workers "like the ones staffing our hospitals and nursing homes, stocking the shelves at grocery stores, providing child care to critical infrastructure workers, manufacturing PPE, protecting public safety, picking up trash or delivering supplies," the state said in the announcement.

The plan is being called Futures for Frontliners. It is being billed as the first-such program in the nation.

Details about the program, how people would apply for it or how much it would cost were not immediately released. Whitmer said the state would use federal grant money to pay the costs.

“The Futures for Frontliners program is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have risked their lives on the front lines of this crisis," Whitmer said in a statement. "This program will ensure tuition-free college opportunities and give these dedicated Michiganders an opportunity to earn a technical certificate, associate degree or even a bachelor’s degree.

“I want to assure all of our workers we will never forget those of you who stepped up and sacrificed their own health during this crisis. You’re the reason we’re going to get through this.”

In referencing the GI Bill, Whitmer said Americans have a history of rewarding those who put their lives on the line to fight an enemy.

"The enemy this time is a virus," she said.

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Whitmer added she is looking forward to the bipartisan legislative coalition that pushed through a program called Reconnect, which offers tuition-free access to community college for adults over the age of 25 without a college degree.

Whitmer has been working to increase the percentage of Michigan adults who have some sort of post-high school credential or degree, from 45% to 60%, by 2030.

The plan was greeted with applause from the Michigan College Access Network.

"This new initiative will reward those who continue to work on behalf of their neighbors, giving of themselves," Ryan Fewins-Bliss told the Free Press. "This is a great start to rewarding front-line workers by investing in their education. Hopefully this opens doors for them to increase their income, continue their career in new ways and fulfill their dreams of a better life.

"This focus on education is incredibly necessary as we look to rebuild our communities and our economy. I hope it represents just the beginning of our government’s investment in education once the crisis is over."

Marissa Cramer of Warren is one of the workers who would be eligible for the free college under the plan. The 22-year-old works at a grocery store for just above minimum wage.

"I really want to go to school and do something in nursing or something like that, but I make just enough money to pay for my son and I to live," she said. "I can't really get the money together to go to school and I don't want to go into debt. I hope this really happens. I'd sign up as soon as I can."

The state's higher education associations also said they wanted to work with Whitmer to make a program happen.

"We don’t know a lot of the details of the proposal but we are always supportive of ideas that improve access to higher education and remove barriers for people trying to reach their education and career goals," Michael Hansen of the Michigan Community College Association told the Free Press. "We certainly look forward to working with the legislature to develop a program that can help achieve these objectives for our frontline workers."

Daniel Hurley, the head of the Michigan Association of Public Universities, echoed that.

"Any state-supported program, like the Futures for Frontliners initiative announced today by Governor Whitmer, is a good investment in Michigan, its communities and its people, especially those who have been at the leading edge of helping us confront this pandemic," he said. "The state universities of Michigan look forward to working with Gov. Whitmer, state lawmakers and our partners in postsecondary education to see that this program is realized and that its intent of helping frontliners fulfill their occupational ambitions while meeting state workforce needs comes to fruition."

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj