Displaying items tagged: West Michigan Works!

GRAND RAPIDS — West Michigan workforce development leaders say Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s latest budget proposal should include a greater focus on short-term training programs and community organizations currently excluded from state-funded talent initiatives.

People in West Michigan indicate that low pay and the inability to find affordable child care are two key factors keeping them out of the workforce. 

A new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor could jeopardize crucial funding for Michigan’s primary workforce development association, leading to the potential closure of at least 20 job training facilities and a loss of more than 200 staffers.

The Michigan Works! Association, which provides a wide range of services for both job seekers and employers throughout the state, says a proposed federal rule change would strip the agency of significant resources. 

A pilot child care program expansion will help West Michigan parents find affordable child care, tackling one factor that has contributed to labor shortages and employees’ difficulty returning to work.

Grand Rapids Community College and workforce development organization West Michigan Works! have launched a program aiming to make big strides in preparing participants for the future of manufacturing.

Economic development organization Lakeshore Advantage Corp. launched an Industry 4.0 readiness poll last year to get an idea of how small and mid-size manufacturers viewed and used advanced technology within their operations.

Michigan’s newly signed state budget aims to maintain the momentum behind a variety of programs designed to help the manufacturing industry address workforce challenges.

Jen Bradshaw had a difficult time finding software and application developers even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has sent two proposed budget plans to state lawmakers this year that maintain or expand funding for skilled trades training as well as introduce new talent development programs.

In an ongoing struggle with workforce shortages and a persistent talent gap, Michigan’s manufacturers have found a valuable asset in the Going Pro Talent Fund.

Talent gaps and workforce shortages are two issues that have dogged the manufacturing industry for years, pushing Michigan companies and their supporting organizations to develop a more robust talent pipeline in Michigan.

West Michigan’s construction industry has long faced a talent shortage fueled by a worker exodus during the 2008 recession, stigma around going into skilled trades, and firms failing to recruit a diverse workforce. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget proposal would restore funding for a training program for skilled trades that the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce has championed for years.

The talent needs of employers are a constantly moving target that requires companies to foster and maintain close ties with educators to keep up with the demands of the 21st century economy. 

Talent, housing and infrastructure topped the 2020 priority list for members of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

Two months after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an unprecedented number of line-item vetoes to the state Legislature’s budget plan, $37.3 million for statewide workforce development programs remains unfunded. 

At a state-of-the-art machine tool laboratory in downtown Grand Rapids, a group of non-technical sales professionals learns about carbide, a compound made from carbon and metal, as well as takes in lessons about radial chip thinning, blueprinting and how tool cutting works.

Growth report for Sept. 28, 2019.

HOLLAND — ITB Packaging LLC plans to expand locally with a $3.5 million capital investment and the expected creation of at least 65 new jobs over the next five years.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for July 23, 2018.

Amazon.com Inc. has made its first official announcement regarding the ecommerce giant’s long-planned distribution center in southeastern Kent County.

GRAND RAPIDS — Like many West Michigan-based manufacturers, Wolverine Coil Spring Co. has adopted an all-hands-on-deck approach to counter industry stereotypes and address talent-attraction challenges. 

A dairy processor plans to expand its existing facility in West Michigan.

Over the last few years, manufacturers have developed extensive in-house training programs in a move to combat skilled worker shortages.

GRAND RAPIDS — With Cascade Die Casting Group Inc. purchasing up to a dozen new robots every year, the company has realized its investments can’t stop with just the equipment.

Business and local government advocates aren’t always aligned on policy issues, but both groups say 2018 will require concerted efforts to attract and retain talent in Michigan.

GRAND RAPIDS — A coalition of West Michigan employers and educators wants to bring more people into the tech sector through an outreach initiative intended to grow the talent pool.

GRAND RAPIDS — Based on the success of prior technology workshops, a local nonprofit plans to leverage its partnership with a Detroit-based training firm to support a bootcamp specifically for women.

California Closets plans to establish a new manufacturing facility in Grand Rapids in a bid to support customers in the country’s eastern portion.