⚠️ Weather Alert: Meeting Cancellations Due to severe weather, both the COG and Networks Northwest Board Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 have been cancelled. Rescheduled dates will be posted as they become available at networksnorthwest.org. We appreciate your understanding. Please stay safe.
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Northwest Michigan Businesses Receive $1.28 Million From Going PRO Talent Fund

January 21, 2021

Businesses in Northwest Michigan will receive $1,288,698 for employee training from the state’s Going PRO Talent Fund in 2021. All 42 employers from the Northwest 10-county region who submitted applications were awarded the requested funds. Employers will use the funding to train 1,223 new and existing employees and start 53 new apprentices across the region. Businesses applied for the Talent Fund grants with assistance from Northwest Michigan Works!

“Now more than ever, we need to invest in our talent and businesses to ensure strong economic recovery and growth,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund allow us to put Michiganders on the path to good paying jobs while helping Michigan employers develop the critical talent they need to compete in the global economy.” 

Statewide in 2021, $39,015,052 from the Going PRO Talent Fund is helping nearly 30,000 workers secure employment, industry-recognized credentials, and strong wages by providing training grants to more than 850 Michigan businesses to support their high-demand, high-skill talent needs. 

A full list of Going PRO Talent Fund grants is available at, Michigan.gov/TalentFund.

Since the program's launch in 2014, over 3,000 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 the industry. The Going PRO Talent Fund has supported more than 94,000 workers with training over the years, including new hires and current workers. 

The Networks Northwest team did a great job to help the City of Charlevoix and Charlevoix Township collaborate in addressing housing challenges in our community. They facilitated dialogue with Planning Commissioners, community stakeholders, and municipal officials to develop a plan for cohesive zoning in areas of growth for our two governments. Further, they were able to pinpoint the challenges in each unit and propose changes that would be beneficial all around. Together, we believe we'll be better prepared for housing developments and job growth in our region. We look forward to working with them on future projects!
- Mark Haydlauff, City Manager, Charlevoix