Governor Granholm Encourages Citizens to Honor Michigan Veterans .(MP3- 3.4MB)

Granholm Applauds Effort to Identify Barriers to Higher Education in Michigan Communities

$250,000 Microsoft Corporation Grant Awarded to Train Workers in Flint/Saginaw

Thanks to a $250,000 Unlimited Potential grant from the Microsoft Corporation, hundreds of former manufacturing workers in the Flint and Saginaw areas can get the IT skills necessary to open doors to new opportunities.

The grant, which is provided through Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential program to Michigan’s “21st Century Integrated Workforce Training Program,” is designed to encourage local residents to pursue lifelong learning, and reduce barriers to work and job placement by providing information technology skills training through community technology centers like the Michigan Works! service centers.

The grant represents an exceptional partnership between the Microsoft Corporation, Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Michigan Works! Association, Career Alliance, Inc., and Saginaw-Midland-Bay Michigan Works! to provide an information technology-based integrated workforce training program in Genesee, Shiawassee, Saginaw, Midland, and Bay counties. Workers in these communities have been significantly impacted by plant closings and relocations as a result of a challenged automotive manufacturing economy.

In February 2006, Microsoft announced a two-year alliance with the U.S. Department of Labor One-Stop Career Centers around the country and committed cash, software, and curriculum to further advance technology skills and training programs. In addition to Michigan, Microsoft Unlimited Potential grants have been made to One-Stop Career Centers in nine cities: Boston and Framingham, Massachusetts; Pittsburgh and Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Rockledge, Florida; Sunnyvale, California; Seattle, Washington; Chicago, Illinois; and Beckley, West Virginia.

On a global level, Microsoft has made a commitment to bring the benefits of IT education and skills training to a quarter of a billion people by 2010. Click here to read more.