Lenawee Now’s Align Lenawee Talent Consortium (Align Lenawee) is pleased to announce the development of a new competency-based “Marshall Plan Certificate Program”. This initiative will involve select workgroups in the areas of Accounting, Project Management, Cybersecurity, and Entrepreneurship. With the implementation of this program, Lenawee Now and Align Lenawee have added four workgroup “Champions” to the team:
Donna Baker – Accounting Certificate Champion
Nicholle L. Mehr, MSA, BSRTT – Project Management Certificate Champion
Addison Hutchison – Cybersecurity Certificate Champion
Rhonda Wingfield – Entrepreneurship Certificate Champion
Other certifications will include Wound Care, Career in Teaching, Project Management for Teachers, as well as others being considered.
These certificate paths are designed to help students from middle school through high school (and soon the adult-learning population) acquire the skills most desired by employers. Successful completion of the curriculum will result in official, stackable certifications for all participants.
“We are very excited to be implementing this program in Lenawee County and to be collaborating with the LISD, Adrian College, Jackson College, Siena Heights University, and local school districts,” said Randy Yagiela, Director of Align Lenawee Talent Consortium. “Building talent from within our community is one of our main objectives, and this program is intended to do just that.”
Each workgroup is comprised of educators and select representatives from Align Lenawee’s business and industry partners who are subject-matter experts in the relevant field. Workforce development specialists from Lenawee Now and Michigan Works! Southeast will also participate in the workgroups.
Each of the four workgroups are responsible for:
- Identifying skills and competencies required of individuals employed within the relevant field;
- Developing and/or reviewing curriculum and identifying text and/or other resources which can be used in the instructional process;
- Identifying potential project-based learning activities that employees within the relevant field are facing and are likely to face;
- Identifying content/information delivery strategies that include online and blended learning options; and
- Identifying assessment strategies that focus on student mastery of the identified skills and competencies.
“We know having a collaborative workforce development system will be the difference-maker for attracting and retaining businesses here in Lenawee County,” said Jim Van Doren, Executive Director for Lenawee Now. “We are continuing to invest in talent through initiatives such as these certificate programs to help drive economic opportunity in Lenawee.”
For more information about this program, the Align Lenawee Talent Consortium, or other talent initiatives, please contact Lenawee Now at 517-265-5141, info@lenaweenow.org, or LenaweeNow.org.