June 29, 2010 – A new report completed by the Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) shows that 57,855 No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) participants completed training, and of those who completed training, 75 percent have either obtained or retained jobs. Additionally, 59 percent of NWLB's core participants - those workers who are unemployed and underemployed when they entered the NWLB program - found new jobs despite double-digit unemployment rates across the state, an11 percent increase from the last reporting period
 
"Three years ago our goal was to provide 100,000 workers with the skills they need to compete for 21st Century jobs through our No Worker Left Behind program," Governor Jennifer M. Granholm said today. "This report shows that not only have we surpassed our enrollment goal, but the program is producing positive results by helping tens of thousands gain or retain jobs."

As of June 1, 131,833 have entered training through the NWLB program.  Most of those who enrolled in No Worker Left Behind are either unemployed or underemployed workers seeking new jobs or employed workers being retrained to help ensure job retention.  The remainder are workers hoping to end their reliance on public assistance or customers of Michigan Rehabilitation Services.
  
The NWLB Outcomes Report provides data covering 110,823 people who enrolled in training between August 2007 and December 2009.  The data provides information about the type of training participants receive, whether they have found jobs, and whether those jobs are related to their training.

Job-retention training helped 27,191 workers gain new skills needed to keep jobs or advance to new ones, while helping businesses that employ them to diversify or otherwise transform their business and increase their ability to succeed.

The Heldrich Center at Rutgers University recently released a report showing that just 21 percent of those who were unemployed and looking for work last August had found a job by March of this year, dramatically illustrating the challenges nationwide workers are facing in finding new employment when they lose a job.

According to the Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth chaired by Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, Jr. reearch shows that a 5 percent increase in the share of college-educated adults would boost overall economic growth by 2.5 percent over ten years and the wages of all Michigan residents by 5.5 percent.

"The Great Recession has caused many autoworkers to lose jobs that are not coming back," said Andy Levin, Michigan's Chief Workforce Officer.  "No Worker Left Behind is helping these workers start new career paths, while at the same time making Michigan more attractive for new businesses to expand and grow."

In addition to the new outcomes report, DELEG is releasing much additional data about NWLB, including:

• NWLB is moving the needle in regards to post-secondary attendance and creating a culture of lifelong learning in Michigan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey statistics, from 2007 to 2008, there was a sizable increase in the number of people gaining advanced training experience in Michigan. People having some level of advanced training and education increased by 120,000, while the population of those having only a high school degree decreased by 90,000.  

• An important example of Michigan's aggressiveness in fighting for more funding is Michigan's recent success in garnering TAA funding.  From FY2005 to FY2010, TAA has grown from an $11M program in Michigan to a $71M program.  Michigan is outperforming other states with equal or larger numbers of TAA-eligible workers.  Since the latest version of the federal program began on May 18, 2009 Michigan has helped 39,192 workers qualify for the program. 
  
• Michigan is training Workforce Investment Act (WIA) participants at over quadruple the U.S. rate – Michigan enters 59 percent of WIA participants into training while nationally, only 13 percent enter training.

• NWLB represents a dramatic shift in focus towards long-term training that creates a lasting, meaningful impact on participants' lives. For example, at the Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! Agency, 92 percent of WIA participants that are unemployed or underemployed are attending a community college, university or another degree-granting institution.

To learn more about the No Worker Left Behind initiative, visit the NWLB website at www.michigan.gov/nwlb.

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