The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) partnered with Oakland County Michigan Works! and joined local community members, business leaders and stakeholders to discuss Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s FY25 budget recommendations for the Going PRO Talent Fund. The roundtable event, which was held Tuesday at Oakland Community College’s Auburn Hills campus, focused on how Michigan workers and businesses benefit from the grant awards that support short-term training to help Michiganders secure and retain economic self-sufficiency.
"I am thrilled to join the local partners and employers who shared their thoughts and stories about how critical investments like the Going PRO talent Fund are helping them,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “Through our programs, services and partners, we support a constantly changing and dynamic workforce system in Michigan, with a focus on worker training, supports for career-based education, job preparedness and connecting people to employment services.”
In February, Whitmer released her sixth executive budget recommendation that will lower costs, power economic development, and build a brighter future to ensure any person or business can “make it” in Michigan. The proposed budget includes an additional one-time investment of $20 million for Going PRO Talent Fund that will help more Michigan businesses support more Michigan workers with short-term training that fills a demonstrated talent need expressed by employers.
“Innovative programs like Going PRO Talent Fund have helped Michigan become a national leader when it comes to workforce development,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, director of LEO’s Office of Employment and Training. “Governor Whitmer’s proposed additional $20 million investment in Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in Michigan businesses, workers and their families.”
Training provided through the Going PRO Talent Fund expands and improves employees’ skills and develops their opportunities for growth or promotion within the company and for economic advancement. It also helps ensure Michigan’s employers have the talent they need to compete and grow by reskilling and upskilling workers based on the employers’ needs.
Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works!, moderated the panel discussion which, in addition to Corbin and Beckhorn, also included Shawn Guiterrez, president of AtomTech; Eleya Montroy, manager of Clinical Care Services at Henry Ford Health; and Paul Myles, senior manager of Government Workforce Development and Training Programs at Magna International. All three organizations are past grant recipients and shared their thoughts about how the Going PRO Talent Fund has played a valuable role in their workforce development efforts.
“For us and for our employees, the Going PRO Talent Fund is a no-brainer,” said Paul Myles of Magna International. “As a retention piece, it makes a difference. For the employees, they’re so proud to go home and show what they’ve accomplished to their families. And they work with more confidence when they come to work, because they know they have the knowledge to be successful.”
Since its inception in 2014, the Going PRO Talent Fund has helped more than 7,100 Michigan businesses train approximately 175,000 workers. As a result of their training, these workers, on average, see an increase of 9% in their hourly wages six months after completion.
The Going PRO Talent Fund is crucial to not only growing Michigan’s talent pool but also meeting the direct needs of employers. Grant awards support employers in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. All training results in a credential, certificate or degree.
To learn more about the Going PRO Talent Fund, visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund.
"I am thrilled to join the local partners and employers who shared their thoughts and stories about how critical investments like the Going PRO talent Fund are helping them,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “Through our programs, services and partners, we support a constantly changing and dynamic workforce system in Michigan, with a focus on worker training, supports for career-based education, job preparedness and connecting people to employment services.”
In February, Whitmer released her sixth executive budget recommendation that will lower costs, power economic development, and build a brighter future to ensure any person or business can “make it” in Michigan. The proposed budget includes an additional one-time investment of $20 million for Going PRO Talent Fund that will help more Michigan businesses support more Michigan workers with short-term training that fills a demonstrated talent need expressed by employers.
“Innovative programs like Going PRO Talent Fund have helped Michigan become a national leader when it comes to workforce development,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, director of LEO’s Office of Employment and Training. “Governor Whitmer’s proposed additional $20 million investment in Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in Michigan businesses, workers and their families.”
Training provided through the Going PRO Talent Fund expands and improves employees’ skills and develops their opportunities for growth or promotion within the company and for economic advancement. It also helps ensure Michigan’s employers have the talent they need to compete and grow by reskilling and upskilling workers based on the employers’ needs.
Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works!, moderated the panel discussion which, in addition to Corbin and Beckhorn, also included Shawn Guiterrez, president of AtomTech; Eleya Montroy, manager of Clinical Care Services at Henry Ford Health; and Paul Myles, senior manager of Government Workforce Development and Training Programs at Magna International. All three organizations are past grant recipients and shared their thoughts about how the Going PRO Talent Fund has played a valuable role in their workforce development efforts.
“For us and for our employees, the Going PRO Talent Fund is a no-brainer,” said Paul Myles of Magna International. “As a retention piece, it makes a difference. For the employees, they’re so proud to go home and show what they’ve accomplished to their families. And they work with more confidence when they come to work, because they know they have the knowledge to be successful.”
Since its inception in 2014, the Going PRO Talent Fund has helped more than 7,100 Michigan businesses train approximately 175,000 workers. As a result of their training, these workers, on average, see an increase of 9% in their hourly wages six months after completion.
The Going PRO Talent Fund is crucial to not only growing Michigan’s talent pool but also meeting the direct needs of employers. Grant awards support employers in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. All training results in a credential, certificate or degree.
To learn more about the Going PRO Talent Fund, visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund.
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