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Going PRO Talent Fund
The application period for the Fiscal Year 2025 Going PRO Talent Fund Cycle 1 is now open and will close at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 18, 2024. Award recipients will be announced in mid-December.
The Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund) makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.
Please click here to access the Work-Based Learning Online Management System (WBLOMS):
(Google Chrome must be used for optimal performance.
The WBLOMS cannot be accessed using Microsoft Internet Explorer)
The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity - Workforce Development awards funds to employers through Michigan's workforce system, commonly known as Michigan Works! Agencies (MWA). MWA Business Services staff conduct fact-finding sessions with employers to assess their talent skill gaps, suitable training providers, and availability of federal funding sources. The MWA Business Services staff then determines whether Talent Fund awards are appropriate to help close the skills gap, and grant employers access to a convenient online application submission process. Interested employers should contact their local Michigan Works! Talent Fund Key Contact (see map below) early to allow ample time for the fact finding process to ensure applications are completed in time for review.
For more information about the Talent Fund, review the following:
- Program Overview
- Fact Sheet
- Employer Guide Fiscal Year 2025
- Employer Guide Fiscal Year 2024
- WBLOMS Employer Training Guide Fiscal Year 2025
- WBLOMS video tutorial: FY25 Independent Application
- WBLOMS video tutorial: Employer Sign in and Authorization Request
- WBLOMS video tutorial: FY23 Industry-Led Collaboratives (ILC) Application Walkthrough
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Fiscal Year 2023
Awards 2014-2024
- Total Number of Awards: 7,480
- Average Award Amount: $39,547
- Average Training Cost Per Person: $1,412
Data is accurate as of June 27, 2024. Data is updated on a quarterly basis.
Featured Impact Stories
Wolverine Advanced Materials
Wolverine Advanced Materials is a developer and manufacturer of high-performance materials with a core competency in specialty elastomer-coated metals that offer damping and seal-ability solutions in the automotive and gasket industries. “The trainings helped provide the missing proper skills and knowledge for our employees. It also helped improve morale and showed our commitment to their growth and development. Ultimately, this helped shift the company from staying afloat during the pandemic to having our best performance year to date. The team was able to improve customer relationships through their ability to understand technical drawings and provide customers with the proper dimensions and specifications for our product offerings.”Jordan Manufacturing Company
Jordan Manufacturing Company provides tooling, metal stampings, and assemblies for a wide variety of industries across the globe. “Training improved business operations by increasing production and reducing downtime. Training also strengthened existing skills and provided employees with new tools and communication methods. This allowed for better teamwork, more efficient troubleshooting, and quicker decision making.” “The entire team assisting us with Going Pro funding (and the trainers they recommended) have been extremely helpful to us. We could not have gotten through the last two years without them.” - Justin, President.SAMES KREMLIN Inc.
SAMES KREMLIN Inc. manufactures and distributes finishing equipment to apply paint, powder and adhesives. “The award touched every employee in our company through training focused on technical, leadership, and innovation skills. Employees received over 24 certificates for skilled trades. They completed over a dozen different subjects such as electrical safety, troubleshooting, IT, and software designer essentials. Several staff were promoted post training after demonstrating new leadership competencies. Over 95% of staff received increases in wages.”Going PRO Talent Fund Program Dashboards
- FY 2024 Program Dashboard
- FY 2023 Program Dashboard
- FY 2022 Program Dashboard
- FY 2021 Program Dashboard
- FY 2019 Program Dashboard
- FY 2018 Program Dashboard
- FY 2017 Program Dashboard
- FY 2016 Program Dashboard
- FY 2015 Program Dashboard
- FY 2014 Program Dashboard
Awards
- Going PRO Talent Fund Cycle 2 Awards for FY24
- Going PRO Talent Fund Cycle 1 and ELC Awards for FY24
- Going PRO Talent Fund Cycle 1, 2 and ILC Awards for FY23
- Going PRO Talent Fund Awards for FY22
- Going PRO Talent Fund Awards for FY21
- Going PRO Talent Fund Awards for FY20 - (none available see below)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated budget shortfalls, the Going PRO Talent Fund was vetoed through Public Act 66 of 2020, signed by Governor Whitmer on March 30, 2020. This act resulted in a number of supplemental budget line items being vetoed. As a result, no Going PRO Talent Fund awards are available for FY20. - Going PRO Talent Fund Awards for FY19
- Skilled Trades Training Fund Awards for FY18
- Skilled Trades Training Fund Awards for FY17
- Skilled Trades Training Fund Awards for FY16
- Skilled Trades Training Fund Awards for FY15
- Skilled Trades Training Fund Awards for FY14
Reports
FY24 Updates
- Going PRO Talent Fund Status Report FY24 — September 2024
- Going PRO Talent Fund Status Report FY24 — March 2024
FY23 Updates
- Going PRO Talent Fund Status Report FY23 — March 2023
- Going PRO Talent Fund Status Report FY22 — March 2023
- Going PRO Talent Fund Status Report FY21 — March 2023
Contact Us
Email: LEO-TalentFund@michigan.gov