January 17, 2008 - Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth Director Keith W. Cooley today announced a new, integrated Bureau of Workforce Transformation that will focus on lifelong learning as central to the success of workers and employers in Michigan's rapidly transforming economy. The new bureau replaces two DLEG bureaus - Workforce Programs and Career Education Programs.

"The Bureau of Workforce Transformation will maximize our services and resources centered on employers and workers," said Cooley. "The current two-bureau structure is a remnant from history that doesn't make sense moving forward. It's time we align ourselves to collectively accomplish true workforce transformation."

The creation of the Bureau of Workforce Transformation represents the most significant change in the structure of Michigan's workforce programs in 15 years. It marks a radical shift from a traditional structure organized by federal funding source and program to a structure organized by customer and strategy.

"Michigan's two primary workforce customers are employers who need trained workers and workers who need new opportunities," Cooley said. "The new bureau will knock down silos and barriers and attack the problem from both ends simultaneously. It will place a much greater emphasis on employers as the creators of jobs - the demand side of the workforce equation -- so that our efforts to help Michigan workers upgrade their skills are targeted to jobs employers need filled now and in the near future."

The new bureau is structured to drive Michigan's fundamental strategic decision to emphasize meaningful training rather than reemployment. "Simply helping people find the next job isn't good enough anymore," DLEG Deputy Director Andy Levin said. "When we facilitate a person getting a certificate or degree in an occupation that is in demand in our state, we don't only help the worker's family improve its prospects - we help Michigan compete in the knowledge economy."

The new, customer-friendly bureau will have one deputy director overseeing programs for workers and one accountable for programs for employers.

The Worker side will have four divisions: 

• Accelerating Re-employment 
• Lifelong Learning 
• Spanish-Speaking and Migrant Worker Services 
• Veterans Services

The Employer side will have two divisions: 

• Regional and Sectoral Strategies 
• Meeting Employer Recruitment and Training needs

"This is a historic day for DLEG, and Michigan's employers and workers. We're aligning the bureau around strategies we know can work to transform our workforce into the most skilled and agile in the land," Levin said. "On the worker side, the current No Worker Left Behind initiative shows how eager our workforce is to learn and grow, if they're only given the chance. On the employer side, our Regional Skills Alliances and our efforts to work with companies like Caraco Pharmaceuticals to stay and grow in Michigan show how crucial talent is to employers' decisions about where to go, and to their success. This new bureau brings all that together in one lean, integrated structure."

This restructuring builds on the momentum of several successful initiatives that DLEG oversees including the No Worker Left Behind initiative which provides up to two years of free tuition at any Michigan community college, university or approved training program which has enrolled nearly 12,300 citizens in training since the program was launched by Governor Granholm in August 2007.

Cooley and Levin met with staff of both bureaus today. Both emphasized that the change would not bring about downsizing or staff cuts. Rather, staff was invited play a bigger role in policy making to increase greater efficiencies. The work of transitioning to the new bureau begins immediately and will take several months to complete.

Read more Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth press releases.