Michigan unveils one-stop online resource for exploring 545,000 Professional Trades career openings through 2026

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018

TED MEDIA CONTACT:
Erica Quealy

517-582-2961 | quealye@michigan.gov

 

Going-PRO.com receives new look, better resources for students and jobseekers

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Students and jobseekers will now have a one-stop resource to learn more about the high-demand, high-wage career opportunities in the Professional Trades through the rejuvenated website, Going-PRO.com, Talent and Economic Development Department of Michigan Director Roger Curtis said Tuesday while unveiling the site at Grand Rapids Public Schools Innovation Central High School.

“As students and jobseekers are exploring career opportunities in the Great Lakes State, it’s important they consider the rewarding and good-paying careers in the Professional Trades,” Curtis said. “This new website is designed to drive awareness and consideration among students and jobseekers on these high-demand careers. It’s also about challenging the dated perceptions of these trades and making sure Michigan’s young people understand these are not the dirty-shop-floor jobs of the past; these are high-tech and rewarding careers leading the way in innovation here in Michigan.”

Professional Trades include careers in healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, construction and automotive sectors. And with 545,000 career openings through 2026 and 47,000 new job openings expected annually, Professional Trades employees will be needed for years to come.

“The goal of Going-PRO.com is to make it easy for Michiganders to learn about careers in the Professional Trades, dive deep into the data, and get connected with a pathway to some great opportunities,” Lt. Governor Brian Calley said. “Professional Trades let you leverage your talents, work ethic, and know-how to do things that truly matter to you, your neighbors and all of Michigan. It’s a tremendous career path to consider.”

The new site features:

• Professional Trades career salaries and job growth data;
• ‘A Day in the Life’ series, highlighting professionals in their careers explaining what it’s like and how they got there; and
• Local schools and training facilities to get started in a Professional Trades career.

“Perhaps the most important aspect of this site is its mobile friendliness,” Curtis said. “We want to make this a great experience for our young people. So reaching them where they are – on their phones – is a must. It also makes the information portable.”

The updated site will be provided to all Michigan school districts during the 2018-19 school year, with rollouts being planned through October 2018 at schools in Gladwin, Hillsdale, metro-Detroit, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Muskegon, Caro, Cadillac and Alpena.

“While the target audience is primarily middle and high school students, Going-PRO.com can also benefit people of all ages seeking new opportunities in a high-demand, high-wage field,” Calley added. “This site will become another resource in connecting Michiganders with great-paying careers and closing our state’s talent gap.”

Tuesday’s press conference featured testimonials from workers in a Professional Trades career and workforce development specialists, in addition to Innovation Central High School computer coding and pharmacology student Shamsho Abdi and Innovation Central High School Principal Mark Frost.