Northwest Michigan Businesses Receive $1.586 Million For Employee Training

December 21, 2023

42 businesses in northwest Lower Michigan will receive a total of $1,586,051 for employee training from the first round of fiscal year 2024 grants from the state’s Going PRO Talent Fund. Employers will use the funding to train new and existing employees across the region. Award recipients in northwest Michigan include businesses in multiple industries including construction, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and nonprofits. Businesses applied for the Talent Fund grants with assistance from the Northwest Michigan Works! Business Services team.

“We're starting the 2024 Going Pro Talent Fund season with a bang, with round one of two in the books we are excited to see a substantial investment of nearly $1.6 million into local businesses for the purpose of training and upskilling their workforce,” said Rob Dickinson, Northwest Michigan Works! Regional Director for Business Services. “Looking ahead, our sights are set on the upcoming cycle 2 scheduled for launch in April. To boost engagement, we're orchestrating informative Going Pro Talent Fund Info Sessions, designed to address inquiries and unveil the latest details surrounding the grant. If you're keen on seizing this opportunity, please visit nwm.org/businessservices and connect with your dedicated Northwest Michigan Works! Business Services Representative for more details.”

Statewide in the first round of grants for FY2024, more than 800 Michigan businesses will receive a combined $45M from the Going PRO Talent Fund to help them train, develop and retain more than 28,000 current and newly hired employees. A full list of Going PRO Talent Fund grants is available at, Michigan.gov/TalentFund. 

For more information about applying for future Going PRO Talent Fund grants and to connect with a Northwest Michigan Works! Business Services team member, go to nwm.org/GoingPRO.

Since the program's launch in 2014, more than 6,000 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 industry. The Going PRO Talent Fund has supported approximately 173,000 workers with training over the years.