JANUARY 20, 2010 - Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) officials joined with workforce, education, and business partners in East Lansing today to celebrate the third anniversary of the highly-successful Business Solutions Professional Training Program.

The program trains professionals in strategies to help businesses grow as well as reaching out to current businesses facing economic hardship and facilitating strategic business partnerships across the state in an effort to help boost Michigan's economy. This week marked the tenth cohort of students to participate in the 8-day course led by Michigan State University instructors. The program is led by a partnership of DELEG, South Central Michigan Works!, and MSU.

The certification program is designed for professionals from Michigan Works! Agencies, economic development agencies, 2- and 4-year colleges, business and business development groups, unions, local and state government, Michigan State University Extension, and community partners. "

This is a grassroots effort to reach out to businesses to address their needs, whether they are facing challenges or looking to expand in our state," said Chief Workforce Officer and DELEG Deputy Director Andy Levin. "The effort has resulted in more jobs created and retained."

At today's celebration, past students spoke about their successes including: 

• Lay-off aversion projects such as business diversification training for small companies that previously relied on the declining manufacturing industry; 
• A Regional IT Business Growth Project coordinated with a local IT company to help them expand into another county of Michigan thus creating more jobs, 
• A Business Attraction Project demonstrating how bringing together local economic development partners attracted a major business to the Kalamazoo Michigan region resulting in jobs,

"Through Business Solutions training, we are focusing on the needs of Michigan businesses and addressing these needs at the local level," said DELEG Director Stanley "Skip" Pruss. "Together we can better determine how to target the problem and create a solution that results in retaining and growing business therefore retaining, creating and growing jobs.

During the coursework, which is two-day sessions over a four-month period, participants build their knowledge and skills through: 

• Discussions of challenges facing Michigan businesses; 
• Presentations about the resources available to businesses; Case studies, simulations, and projects: and 
• Networking

Read more releases from the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth

For more information about DELEG, please visit www.michigan.gov/deleg.

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