11 Employers Will Receive More Than $534,400 To Train 1,917 Workers

Michigan Works! West Central is proud to announce more than $534,400 in training funding is being awarded to 11 local companies to train more than 1,900 employees. The funds are being awarded through the Going PRO Talent Fund, which now offers fall and spring application cycles each year.

The Going PRO Talent Fund is a competitive funding program that helps employers train, develop, and retain current and new employees. Employers can apply for up to $2,000 in funding per employee, and up to $3,500 per USDOL registered apprentice. Winners of the fiscal year 2024 Cycle I award period were announced Dec. 13, by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

“The Going PRO Talent Fund is a great tool to help businesses develop their existing and future talent in order to stay competitive,” said Shelly Keene, Executive Director of Michigan Works! West Central. “Our Business Services team works diligently with employers to file comprehensive applications each cycle to apply for these competitive and critical training funds. When employers invest in their teams through programs like this, it improves their skillsets, increases retention and moves Michigan forward.”

Companies applied for funding this past fall with the help of Michigan Works! West Central’s Business Services team. The following companies are being awarded funds to train their staff beginning in January:

Mason County

• Great Lakes Castings LLC
• Hardman Construction
• Servpro of Ludington

Mecosta County

• Haworth Components

Newaygo County

• Magna Mirrors
• Nestle-Gerber Products

Oceana County

• Blue Photon
• GHSP
• Michigan Freeze Pack
• OPC Arbre Farms LLC

Osceola County

• Reed City Group

Statewide, more than 800 businesses are being awarded funds to train more than 28,000 current and new employees. A total of $45 million in training funding assistance is being awarded during the FY24 Cycle I period, with the average award being $54,000.

“These funds represent more than dollars; they symbolize Michigan’s commitment to empowering individuals, building thriving communities and positioning our state as a national leader in workforce development,” said Susan Corbin, LEO director. “With this latest group of grant awardees, we celebrate not just the present success of the Going PRO Talent Fund, but the boundless potential it holds for our state's economic landscape.”

Since Going PRO Talent Fund (formerly the Skilled Trades Training Fund) began in 2014, Michigan Works! West Central helped secure more than $4.8 million to train more than 5,600 workers at 62 different employers in its six-county service area, including 184 USDOL registered apprentices. Statewide, more than 6,000 businesses have received funds through the program since 2014, training more than 175,000 individuals. The Going PRO Talent Fund also aligns with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 initiative to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree to 60 percent by 2030.

A complete list of the Going PRO Talent Fund spring cycle award winners can be found at Michigan.gov/TalentFund. Employers interested in submitting an application in the upcoming FY24 Cycle II Going PRO Talent Fund application period, should reach out to the Business Services team at Michigan Works! West Central at MWWC.org/GoingPRO.