Our state unveiled a major new initiative to invest, develop and attract talent for Michigan. Governor Rick Snyder and state leaders shared the Marshall Plan for Talent last week, which is a partnership between educators, employers and stakeholders to build Michigan’s talent pipeline.

The state shared highlights of the plan which include:

• Providing grants to schools:

  • The state will provide World Class Curricula grants to schools that collaborate with businesses to create and develop classes and programs that don’t exist or fill gaps in existing classes.

  • Schools that partner with employers who provide match funds and technical expertise, can receive professional equipment grants.

• University Partnerships: The state will work with our universities to provide evaluation of the programs and develop curricula.

• Michigan Future Talent Council: This group will be comprised of employers, policymakers and educators who will meet to determine skills and credentials that are in demand, and assess the skills students need.

• Career Navigators: The state will provide resources to schools to hire career navigators who can support school counselors to help students find career-based learning opportunities.

• Talent for Tomorrow: The creation of a program that provides scholarships and stipends toward the completion of certifications in high-demand fields for low-income individuals. Stipends could help cover barriers such as transportation or child care.

The governor has been focusing on investing in talent in Michigan to ensure we have a robust workforce in the future. As the state shares, “Michigan will have more than 811,000 career openings to fill through 2024 in fields that are facing talent shortages, with an average salary of over $60,000 per year.”

Current and future shortages are in several critical areas such as: information technology and computer science, health care, manufacturing and other professional trades and business careers.

Last week’s announcement follows another major talent and skill building initiative the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) shared earlier this month, the formation of MiSTEM regions around the state.

There are 16 new regions included in the MiSTEM Network, each will receive a portion of the $1.3 million in total state funding, to develop strategic plans to create a STEM culture, support STEM educators, integrate businesses and education into the network, and ensure high-quality learning opportunities for student.

The 16 regions cover every county in Michigan, you can view the regions here.

“This is another important step in bringing education and business together to develop world-class talent throughout Michigan,” Brian Whiston, state superintendent, MDE said. “This is included in goal one to help Michigan become a Top 10 education state in 10 years and vital to our state’s further success.”

The statewide network was created as a result of the governor’s MiSTEM Advisory Council’s recommendations.

Innovative partnerships are expected to take the stage at the governor’s Talent and Education Summit, which begins on March 12 in Novi, as the summit focuses on how employers and educators can collaborate to build a strong pipeline of talented students for our changing workforce.

Want more?

Learn more about the Marshall Plan for Talent.

Check out the MiSTEM Network.

Join the Center for Michigan and Bridge Magazine for their upcoming Solutions Summits to discuss several key topics, including the future of Michigan’s education system.

Save the date to join the Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL) for another career and technical education (CTE) site visit on April 13 in Alpena, more details coming soon.