Many people have not heard of Michigan Works! Agencies. Those that have, often mistake it as just the Unemployment Insurance Office or an organization you visit if you want tuition funds. Michigan Works offers a wide variety of job search support for job seekers and connecting them with employers in our community.
Tyeisha was a young mother, unemployed and struggling to find work in the post-pandemic economy. Wanting to become a Certified Nurse Assistant, she reached out to Michigan Works for guidance. Tyeisha enrolled in the Young Professionals Program, and working with a Career Development Facilitator, got the assistance she needed to identify an appropriate training opportunity at Michigan Healthcare Academy in Mount Clemens.
With the help of grant funding, Tyeisha enrolled in a Nursing Assistant program in April, and completed her training a few months later. Support services through the Michigan Works Young Professionals Program assisted Tyeisha with the cost of the state exam, and when she didn’t pass the first time around, her Career Development Facilitator helped her come up with a game plan to pass the second time around. Once Tyeisha was ready to start looking for a job, her facilitator was by her side as she updated her resume and began her job search. In a few weeks, Tyeisha was hired as a full-time Certified Nursing Assistant, and Michigan Works even helped Tyeisha get the necessary scrubs and nursing shoes she needed to start off right. As for her new job, Tyeisha says it is “everything I hoped it would be.”
At Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works, Tyeisha is just one of many success stories. By providing job search assistance, career and training resources, and both online and in-person events on topics such as resume development, interviewing skills, and more, Michigan Works lives its mission to “connect and support employers and job seekers to strengthen our economy and community.” According to Justin Al-Igoe, Executive Director of Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works Workforce Development Board, support is available across many fields, including emerging ones such as careers related to the growth in electric vehicles. “Additional career growth in areas like electricians, engineers, and even urban planners is expected,” says Justin. “Construction is expected to grow as the infrastructure, such as public charging stations, will be needed. Several new certifications, such as battery technician and related training, are developed or in the process of being developed.”
Training for a new career in the automotive industry helped Gabriel, who came to Michigan Works after losing his job with a mortgage company during the pandemic. Frustrated by finding only entry-level positions in retail and delivery driving, Gabriel reached out for help to make a change. He found he qualified for tuition assistance from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the Michigan Learning and Education Advancement Program, and an Industry Infinity grant, and enrolled at Macomb Community College in the Controls Technician program. Gabriel completed his certificate and began his new career shortly afterward working as an Automation Technician at a starting wage of $27.50 per hour. “I was able to start a new career in manufacturing that would not have been possible without the assistance of Michigan Works,” he says.
Of course, Macomb-St. Clair Michigan Works isn’t just for job seekers—it also assists employers with finding the people they need. When Niagara Bottling was building a new plant in Shelby Township, they reached out to Michigan Works Business Services. Michigan Works assisted the company with understanding the local labor market to set competitive wages, helped with posting available positions, and partnered with Niagara for a hiring fair at the Clinton Township Michigan Works Service Center, which resulted in the largest turn out Macomb-St. Clair Michigan Works has had for any job fair—over 1000 candidates for positions ranging from Warehouse Associate to Production Supervisor. The team at Niagara Bottling was pleased with the results. “We were able to find multiple well-qualified candidates for even our salary roles—Production Supervisor and Warehouse Supervisor. We were even able to find multiple great candidates for the higher-skilled QA Technician and Maintenance Tech roles, which we were having a difficult time finding candidates for.”
Whether you represent a business struggling to hire or find yourself in need of support and guidance toward a new career, including priority services for veterans, Macomb-St. Clair Michigan Works can be the key to success. For more information or to get started, visit msc-mw.org.