This article was written and published by Crain’s Detroit Business.
New digital hub to help Michigan workers displaced by pandemic boost skills
July 31, 2020A new digital hub offers online learning opportunities and other training resources for Michigan residents looking to return to work or learn new skills.
The coronavirus crisis has created record unemployment in Michigan and across the country. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity says workers who possess advanced skills will be better positioned to get and keep higher-paying and more stable jobs.
The Michigan.gov/SkillstoWork website features a variety of learning and career exploration options to consider while navigating the COVID-19 economy when in-person learning opportunities are limited.
The virtual resource is a collaboration between LEO, Michigan Community College Association, Michigan Works! Agencies and others aimed at increasing opportunities for all Michiganders to explore online degree and certificate programs that will lead to expanded employment opportunities and bigger paychecks, according to a news release.
The hub supports Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal to increase the number of working-age Michiganders with a skill certificate or college degree from the recently released level, 48.9 percent, to 60 percent by 2030.
“The new website connects Michiganders to online programs offered by Michigan’s 28 community colleges,” MCCA President Michael Hansen said in the release. “As we navigate the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, Michigan’s business leaders and employers statewide are asking: ‘How do we get people back to work?’ This new information hub is a tremendous start toward solving that challenge.”
The site also provides a new Return-to-Work Playbook that helps workers adjust to changing employer needs and work environments. It outlines available career and job-readiness resources, including step-by-step instructions for developing resumes, preparing for interviews, exploring new career paths, and finding free or inexpensive job training opportunities.
It also provides industry or occupational-specific resources for in-demand careers and additional resources to assist specific individuals including veterans, individuals with disabilities, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and adult learners.
Other available resources at Michigan.gov/SkillstoWork include career exploration, job search assistance, and professional development opportunities.