A shrinking statewide population and declining high school and college enrollment rates mean that relying on traditional-aged K-12-to-college population will no longer meet the Detroit Region’s hiring and talent needs. Fortunately, there is a large untapped talent pool here in Metro Detroit: adults – many of whom are working at companies across the Region. Investing in more education for these adults will give them the skills and credentials they need to attain the in-demand jobs that employers are looking to fill.
The Detroit Regional Chamber’s TalentEd provides tools and resources to employers looking to upskill and develop their existing talent, and its Detroit Reconnect initiative provides navigation support for adults who want to further their education.
But these aren’t the only initiatives championing upskilling and talent development for adults. The Region is rich with programs and opportunities focused on increasing the number of adults in the Region who are pursuing training programs that lead to good jobs. Further, the State of Michigan is fortunate to have its Michigan Reconnect scholarship, which provides a tuition-free path for adults to earn an associate degree or certificate.
MiLEAP and Urban Alliance Provide Internships for Reconnectors
Urban Alliance exposes young adults to early career opportunities through paid internships, mentorship, and professional development. While their flagship program is focused on high school internships, they were recently awarded a grant from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) to support Michigan Reconnect students ages 21-24 who are pursuing an associate degree or industry-recognized credential.
Michigan Reconnect provides essential financial support to adults looking to continue their education. However, there are hurdles beyond tuition that prevent our learners from achieving economic mobility through access to education and good jobs.
Urban Alliance partners with companies like Rocket, Bank of America, Henry Ford Health, and DTE Energy to ensure young people have a high-quality internship experience. By providing paid work experiences, mentorship, and professional development, these organizations are equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive workforce while building a more inclusive economy.
Training Dollars for Mobility Talent
While Urban Alliance supports adults pursuing careers across a variety of industries, there are special resources available supporting industry-focused upskilling and training initiatives.
For the Region’s signature automotive and mobility industry, the Global Epicenter of Mobility or GEM™ is designed to help build a competitive and prosperous 21st century mobility sector. One way it does this is by providing training dollars. GEM can grant up to $5,000 per employee for training in manufacturing and mobility career profiles, including tech, engineering, electrification, fabricators, production, assemblers, welders, and more. Additional funding can support leadership training to help mobility and manufacturing employees become supervisors.
Upskilling and reskilling the existing mobility workforce will be critical to meeting the talent and skill needs of the industry as it evolves and grows. GEM also provides consulting services to help businesses build their capacity to support training and talent initiatives.
Innovative Skills Programming to Increase Representation
GEM is not the only initiative providing mobility-focused talent and skills solutions for the Region’s adult learners. Since its grand reopening, Michigan Central has stood up several programs that help Detroiters gain in-demand skills and access the mobility and tech jobs of tomorrow. One example is the Michigan Central Talent Innovation Training Fund, a partnership between Michigan Central, Detroit at Work, and the State of Michigan that provides select startups with training costs to cover up to $7,500 per person. Michigan Central is also partnering with Detroit at Work to provide Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Technician training which will train Detroiters to install and repair charging stations.
Learn more about resource such as these and others available to support talent development and upskilling in the Detroit Region’s adults, tune in to the Chamber’s free webinar, Strategies for Employers to Support Adult Learners, on April 22 at 11 a.m.