Three Area businesses Awarded More Than $56,000 To Train Employees

Michigan Works! West Central is proud to announce more than $56,000 in training funding is being awarded to three local companies to train their 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.

A total of $13.5 million was awarded to nearly 300 businesses statewide in the spring award cycle. The funds will be used to help approximately 8,500 Michigan workers earn industry-recognized credentials in their respective career fields. Award winners were announced July 19, by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).

“The Going PRO Talent Fund is one of the best talent-development programs in Michigan,” said Shelly Keene, executive director for Michigan Works! West Central. “This program helps workers get the skills necessary to advance their careers and improve their lives. When employers invest in their employees through the Going PRO Talent Fund, it increases employee retention, builds a stronger economy and so much more.”

Locally, companies applied for funding this past spring with the help of Michigan Works! West Central’s Business Services team. The following companies are being awarded funds to train their respective workforces:

• Big Rapids Products in Big Rapids is being awarded $48,000 to train 33 employees on leadership and electrical maintenance;
• H&R Screw Machine Products in Reed City is being awarded $3,000 to train 2 employees on grant writing; and
• Peacock Industries Inc. in Baldwin is being awarded $5,300 to train 7 employees in forklift, 3-D milling, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.

“Programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund help businesses throughout Michigan train the talent they need in order to stay competitive in the global economy,” LEO Director Susan Corbin said in a statement. “Investments like these help us connect individuals and business leaders with tailored opportunities and unique resources they need to prosper. Together, we are creating a competitive and innovative environment that improves the quality of life for people who live, work and do business in Michigan.”

Since Going PRO Talent Fund (formerly the Skilled Trades Training Fund) began in 2014, Michigan Works! West Central helped secure more than $4.3 million to train more than 3,700 workers at 60 different employers in its six-county service area, including 137 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 fall Going PRO Talent Fund cycle, can reach out to the Business Services team at Michigan Works! West Central at MWWC.org/GoingPRO.