TALENT RESOURCES

These Talent Resources are categorized by questions we hear from employers who are seeking resources for training assistance, getting involved with schools, or navigating an employee to feel more connected with the community. Click on a question below to find related resources.
 
Michigan Workforce Training Equipment Center Grant
Provides equipment grants to qualified training providers who support workforce training. Application is now available and closes on January 19, 2022 at 5p. For more information, please visit the Michigan Economic Development Corporation website HERE.

 
 

How can I help my new employees (and their families) connect with the community?

Chamber Partners Check what events your local chamber of commerce is hosting to get involved in the local professional community.  
Gateway for Growth Get involved in visioning our community for growth.  
Connect with young professionals through social and networking opportunities.  
This group promotes friendship among residents of the greater Holland area, sponsoring and assisting with community projects.
Connect with this resource that specializes in recruiting newcomers to the area and helping trailing spouses  to find employment.  
Connect with others in the community by assisting with a cause or population that you feel passionate about. Notable organizations include Women Who Care, Community SPOKE and the Junior Welfare League.


Help others through the United Way and volunteer center for Ottawa or Allegan County.  
The organization's mission is "to enrich the lives of children" in the greater Holland area.
Leadership from health & human service organizations utilizing data to identify community needs.  
Women of Color Give creates a shared space where they connect, re-imagine and invest. For Women of Color. By Women of Color.
Connect with others in the community based on similar interests. This platform promotes all local events.  


 

How does my company get involved with the schools?

Connect with this resource and share what you envision your involvement to look like. OAISD provides personalized learning opportunities, and can guide you to an experience engaging students that fits your organization. The Careerline Tech Center specifically prepares middle and high school students to be career and college-ready. Future Prep'd inspires middle and high schoolers to explore manufactiring fields. 
Connect with this resource and share what you envision your involvement to look like. AAESA provides personalized learning opportunities, and can guide you to an experience engaging students that fits your organization. The Tech Education Center prepares Allegan County middle and high school students to be career and college-ready. 
Plan an experience for students at this career exploration event held annually in the spring at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. Students rotate through four high-demand industries: Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Health Sciences and Information Technology.  
Plan an event or open your facility for tours for students to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. This event is held annually the first week of October. Bussing to employer manufacturing facilities from schools is provided. 
Sponsor or lead a robotics competitive team and have the hardest fun you'll ever have. These teams are growing as interest increases in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math options for students expand. 
Sponsor or lead a Lego robotics team, similar to above, but with these lovable building blocks. 


 

Where else can I be looking for an employee?

Rethink where you find talent. Vocational Village trains prisoners in skilled trades, preparing them for valuable positions with nationally recognized certificated of employment open release.
Reach college talent across the nation and discover and hire the right candidates for your team through Handshake.
Help to remove the employment barriers caused by incarceration or addiction by partnering with 70x7 Life Recovery and find your next hire.
LHRMA gives access to valuable information, education, and networking opportunities to strengthen your team. 
Explore Goodwill Center to not only find your future workforce but to also support the one you currently have. Goodwill offers support services that help people to keep and find jobs.
Remove barriers for your workforce with help from the Hope Network's deep, broad, and connected services. 
Find tech talent by accessing over 1,000 students who have graduated from computer programming programs or send your own all-star employees to be trained.
Works in partnership with employers, educators, economic developers and community organizations, to create a qualified workforce that meets our region’s current and future talent needs and fuels our shared economic future.
Discover Manufacturing is a regional network of hundreds of manufacturers who are committed to addressing the short- and long-term talent needs of West Michigan’s manufacturing industry.
Work in collaboration with existing local resources, the West Michigan Health Career Council (WMHCC) plans to encourage health care careers, develop needed talent, help retain skilled talent and promote industry outreach.
The Construction Workforce Development Alliance of West Michigan (CWDA) was formed by three trade organizations that want to encourage talented young people to put their minds and hands to work in the growing, exciting and rewarding field of construction.
The Agribusiness Talent Council of West Michigan works to attract talent, promote the industry and provide training and resources to employers.
West Michigan Tech Talent looks to engage employers of Information Technology professionals with best practices, resources and a community to grow, develop, recruit and retain a diverse and inclusive world class IT workforce in West Michigan.

 

Where can my company find resources for Apprenticeships / Internships / Training Support?

 
Michigan Workforce Training Equipment Center Grant
Provides equipment grants to qualified training providers who support workforce training. Application is now available and closes on January 19, 2022 at 5p. For more information, please visit the Michigan Economic Development Corporation website HERE.
 
Check here for all options or to start. The registered application will help you qualify for training grants througout the State of Michigan.
>Meet the challenge of global and local competition through a variety of training options.
These funds are awarded to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees.
Develop your workforce through a variety of customized offerings through GRCC. 
Work smarter to compete and prosper with personalized consulting services including lean and supervisory training. 
Partners with GRCC to provide training fund for new employees through the State of Michigan.
Companies are matched up to 50% of the interns’ compensation. College students gain experience in STEM-focused internships while funding barriers for these positions at small to medium sized companies is lessened.
Together we empower people and communities to thrive through education, innovation, and experiences.
We are committed to enriching the lives of our students and communities through quality educational programs and services.
Helps employers and individual learners to improve job performance and results through services including training, assessment, best practice information, career development, and learner support. We continually evaluate, update, and improve our product and service mix based on customer, industry, and educational data.