IN THIS ISSUE:
Governor Announces Michigan Energy Corps
Governor Puts NWLB at the Heart of State of the State
Two NWLB Workers Star in State of the State
No Worker
Left Behind
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No Worker Left Behind News
February 4, 2009
Governor Announces Michigan Energy Corps
In her 2009 State of the State address last night, Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm announced the creation of a major workforce initiative called the Michigan Energy Corps. The Michigan Energy Corps will put thousands of unemployed Michigan citizens back to work in 2009 and 2010, weatherizing homes, schools and other public buildings; installing renewable energy technology; and turning our abundant natural resources into renewable fuels.
“In the next year alone, we’ve set a goal of weatherizing more than 100,000 homes in our state and installing energy efficiency and renewable energy technology in 1,000 schools, and public and private buildings,” said Granholm. “Every one of these projects means new jobs for people who need them right now.”
We plan to train and deploy at least 10,000 Michigan workers through the Corps in the next two years. We are designing the program to take full advantage of funds from the federal stimulus package currently being debated in Congress. When that legislation passes, we hope we will be able to announce that the Corps will even be bigger.
Governor Puts NWLB at the Heart of State of the State
Yesterday, during her seventh State of the State address, Gov. Granholm emphasized her support for the landmark workforce training program No Worker Left Behind (NWLB). Gov. Granholm created NWLB in 2007 with the goal to train the first 100,000 workers who signed up, over a three-year period. In the first 17 months, we enrolled 51,742 in training for in-demand jobs for Michigan workers. |
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“We’re over halfway there, with 52,000 Michigan citizens getting training through No Worker Left Behind for in-demand jobs as nurses or electric linemen or welders or solar panel installers or computer technicians,” said Gov. Granholm. “Fifty two thousand people, an army of determined citizens, who have had the courage and the resilience to remake themselves – and in so doing, are helping us day by day, to remake Michigan.”
In the last five months of 2008, NWLB-affiliated programs had across-the-board increases in participation compared to the same months in 2007. The number of dislocated workers entering training funded by the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is up 45 percent in year two (since Aug. 1, 2008) versus year one, including a 60 percent increase in December 2008, compared to December 2007. If new participation continues its current trend, NWLB will surpass expectations and meet its goal in less than three years.
Two NWLB Workers Star in State of the State
At the culmination of the governor's State of the State Address, she highlighted two NWLB participants, Dwayne Hicks of Fraser and Tyler Sutton of Bay City – both received standing ovations. The governor lauded these two workers who lost their jobs and went back to school to start new careers as symbols of Michiganders remaking themselves – and reinventing our state workforce.
“Michigan must summon just such courage to abandon the old ways that no longer serve us. If there are leaders and heroes in this economic crisis, they are the Suttons and the Hicks and the families like them who face head-on the challenges of change with the courage to grow in a new direction” remarked Granholm. “In the midst of heartache and strife, they fixed on hope and strength to build a better future. Their hope is Michigan’s hope. Their strength is Michigan’s strength. And fixed on that hope and that strength, we, together, will build a better Michigan.”
After doing nearly 20 years of skilled work in tool & die and mold shops, Dwayne Hicks was laid off in 2006. Despite concerns that he was “too old” to start a new career, Hicks sought help at the Macomb-St. Clair Michigan Works! Agency and he took a chance at creating a better life by participating in the NWLB program. In 2007, he began to work toward his associate’s degree in information technology at Macomb Community College and currently has a 3.5 grade point average.
“Today I am very grateful for the ‘No Worker Left Behind’ program. Not only am I learning in the IT field, I am more confident in myself,” commented Hicks.
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Tyler Sutton, who was featured in the last edition of NWLB News, is a NWLB graduate. Sutton went to the Saginaw/Midland/Bay Michigan Works! Agency and was encouraged by a career manager to enter a chemical processing program at Delta Community College. Sutton is currently employed at Dow Corning working on a process that supports the production of silicon for Hemlock Semiconductor – he’s part of the new solar economy. Sutton is an enthusiastic supporter of NWLB because of the opportunities it has created for him. |
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"The thing to do is be flexible, continue your education, and then use it. Keep growing, keep going," said Sutton.
New industries give state a charge Now for a little good news: Last week, A123 Systems, a Massachusetts-based battery designer, announced plans to build the first of several lithium ion plants in southeastern Michigan… And a lot of it has to do with vision and hard work put in by the state of Michigan. Gov. Jennifer Granholm gets much credit for realizing that alternative energy could be the next very big thing in our economic future. Read the entire article> |
Hemlock plans up to $1.2-billion Michigan investment A solar power technology company is getting ready to announce an investment of up to $1.2 billion in Michigan that would create about 190 jobs for people directly employed by the company. Read the entire article> |
Film jobs get Michigan rolling Sarah DeBoer didn't mind the 16-hour workdays, running errands across Metro Detroit for the assistant director or fetching water for the film's leading lady. While her job as a set production assistant on Lifetime's "Prayers for Bobby" wasn't exactly filled with Hollywood glitz and glamour, the Michigan State University sophomore couldn't have asked for a better summer position. Read the entire article> |
As we enter 2009, we face our most challenging year yet. By all indications, the economic picture for Michigan will get bleaker before it gets better.
But as we face this turmoil, DELEG and its partners will continue to come up with innovative ways to put Michigan’s people on the track toward successful careers. Our programs are getting better every day and DELEG has even more exciting programs on the way. The people of Michigan are tremendously resilient and we will come out of this crisis stronger than ever.
I thank everyone for their commitment in 2008 and look forward to meeting the challenges of 2009.
Best Regards,
Andy Levin, Deputy Director
Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
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