Governor Whitmer Helps 30,000 Michiganders Secure Good-Paying Jobs

 Funds help Michigan employers prepare the talent they need to compete and grow; workers gain skills needed for in-demand career paths

LANSING, Mich. – Through $40 million in grants from the Going PRO Talent Fund, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is helping 30,000 workers across the state to secure employment, industry-recognized credentials, and strong wages by providing training grants to more than 1,000 Michigan businesses to support their high-demand, high-skill talent needs adding even more jobs to the 145,000 jobs created in Michigan this year alone. The full list of Going Pro Training Fund Awards can be found here.

“Michigan’s greatest asset is our people. We need to continue investing in them to ensure a strong economic recovery and growth,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund help us put Michiganders first, ensuring they can get on a path to a good-paying job and empower businesses of all sizes to develop the talent they need to compete in the global economy.”

Since the program’s launch in 2014, more than 5,000 Michigan businesses have received Talent Fund awards to assist in training, developing, and retaining newly hired and current employees. Training must fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer and lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by the industry.

The Going PRO Talent Fund has supported more than 150,000 workers with training over the years, including new hires and current workers.

“With professional trades accounting for 530,000 jobs in Michigan through 2028, with approximately 47,000 openings expected annually, this fund plays a vital role in helping Michigan employers meet their talent needs by investing in their current and future workers,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Office of Employment and Training.

LEO makes Going PRO Talent Fund awards to employers through Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs). Participating employers play an integral role in defining their key training needs, then work with the local MWAs and other partners to develop strategic training plans.

The Going PRO Talent Fund aligns with Governor Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree to 60 percent by 2030.

To learn more about the Going PRO Talent Fund, visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund.

A list of grant recipients for the 2022 fiscal year is available online, visit here.

###