LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino on Wednesday applauded the announcement that four businesses in Monroe and Lenawee counties have been awarded Going PRO Talent Fund grants to help train local workers.
“This funding is about supporting our economy by helping businesses train local workers for high-skill, high-wage jobs in manufacturing and health care,” said Bellino, R-Monroe. “I have long supported investing in job training to help Michigan workers find new careers and enable current workers to keep their jobs in an ever-changing workplace. By investing in our people, we are investing in our future; and we will see the dividends for years to come.”
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity 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 their local MWAs and other partners to develop strategic training plans.
In Monroe County, $29,000 grants were awarded to Hickory Ridge in Temperance and Fountain View in Monroe to each train 13 workers and an $8,755 grant was awarded to Yanfeng Automotive Interiors to train six workers.
In Lenawee County, Wacker Chemical in Adrian will receive $89,730 to train 60 people.
Since the program’s launch in 2014, more than 6,000 Michigan businesses have received Going PRO Talent Fund awards to train 175,000 new and existing workers. Since the program’s inception, worker wages have increased an average of 9% following training completion.
To view a full list of grant recipients for the 2023 fiscal year and learn more about the Going PRO Talent Fund and its application cycles, visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund.
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