This week, staff from Michigan Works! West Central and other Michigan Works! agencies joined thousands of workforce innovators, policymakers and educators in the nation's capital for the landmark JFF Horizons Summit 2026. The event was held July 13–14, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC. This year's summit marked a pivotal moment for the future of labor, education and economic mobility.

For the Michigan Works! West Central team, the trip wasn't just about professional development, it was a mission to bring cutting-edge strategies back home to Michigan's job seekers and employers. A core pillar of this year's summit was JFF's aggressive "No Dead Ends" agenda. Sessions challenged attendees to dismantle systemic economic barriers and redesign training pipelines so that every worker has a clear path to a high-wage career.

The Michigan Works! delegation didn't just sit in lecture halls; they put on their advocacy hats. After two days of intensive policy panels, team members headed to Capitol Hill. Walking the halls of Congress, Michigan’s workforce leaders met with lawmakers and their staff to advocate for workforce development programs and to showcase information about our local data and success stories.

Staff from Michigan Works! West Central, the Michigan Works! Association and other Michigan Works! Agencies visited the offices of Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Rep. John Moolenaar and Rep. Tim Walberg, who was presented with an award from the Michigan Works! Association for Legislator of the Year for 2025.

Below are pictures from the legislative visits. Click on each image to view the full picture.