Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren has secured $3.1M in competitive grants from the State of Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund to help 43 local employers enhance their workforce. The grants awarded provide funds to local employers for training, developing, and retaining employees.
“Being a demand driven organization means that we put employers at the top of our priority list,” said Mark O’Reilly, Director of Business Solutions at Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren. “We know that training is expensive and time consuming, which is why we continue to submit as many applications as we can for Going PRO funding. We’re excited to support employers with upskilling and training more than 1,600 new workers, incumbent workers, and apprentices without the financial stress that comes with it.”
There are many training programs eligible for funding, including classroom training, which prepares individuals with the skill set required to meet the employer's needs and diversify the skill sets of current employees. In addition, employers can also receive onsite job training reimbursement for wages paid while training a new or existing employee on a new process, new technology, or new machines.
In collaboration with Michigan Works!, employers will work with training providers, such as Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MTTC), Lake Michigan College, and Southwestern Michigan College to deliver the training resulting from the grants.
Awardees of the recent cycle of Going PRO funds are: A & B Packaging Equipment Inc.; Abonmarche Consultants, Inc.; Bronson South Haven; C&S Machine Products; C5 Electric LLC; CHT USA Inc.; Colson Group – Albion; Colson Group - St. Joseph; Convergix Automation; Creative Foam; Custom Tool and Die Company, Inc.; Dura Mold, Inc.; Final Gravity Brewing Co.; Flamm Pickle & Packing Co.; Flowers Early Learning; Fremont Flask, Inc.; Grotnes; Hanson International; Harloff Manufacturing Company; Kay Manufacturing; Koehler Industries; Lane Automotive; Leco Corporation; Mann Metal Finishing, Inc.; Marcellus Metalcasters, Inc.; McGuire's Maintenance and Preservation; McGuire's Professional Construction; Modern Buggy RV LLC; Modineer; Niles Steel Tank; Primetals Technologies USA LLC Benton Harbor, MI Facility; Primoris Renewable Energy; Ripple Effects Autism Learning Center; ROSTA USA Corp; Spartan Tool; Spencer Manufacturing Inc.; The Children's Center – Niles; The Inn at Harbor Shores; Tigmasters Inc.; Tri Mation Industries Inc.; Vickers Engineering; Wierco, LLC; and Youth Development Company/PAL.
Throughout 2024, the team at Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren helped secure a total of $4.6M in competitive grants from the State of Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund to help 68 local employers enhance their workforce. There were eight industries supported by the funding.
Michigan Works! has additional resources to help employers develop trainings, support growth and hiring needs, and retain employees. The next cycle of Going PRO Talent Fund grant applications is slated to be released by the state in the spring. For more information about Going PRO, visit Michigan.gov or MiWorks.org/Training-Funds.
Michigan Works! of Berrien, Cass, Van Buren specializes in educating, training, and employing individuals of all ages. We work with local businesses to find out what keeps them up at night and help them tackle the most pressing challenges they may face, including attracting and retaining talent. For more information, visit www.miworks.org.
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