April is Internship Awareness Month

By Ryan Hundt

In today’s hypercompetitive market for talent, employers are becoming more creative in their recruitment and retention efforts, often focusing on material changes and cool perks aimed at enticing job seekers to accept a proposed offer. But company culture is much more than a foosball table and a well-stocked cafeteria – the quality of one’s experience while working for an employer is arguably the most meaningful recruitment tactic a company has at its disposal. And for many young workers, this experience often begins in the form of an internship.

As we celebrate Internship Awareness Month this April, we aim to recognize employers who deliberately craft meaningful internship programs with relentless energy, along with acknowledging the significant contributions interns can have in shaping our future business environment.

Fortunately, our mindset of what it means to be an intern has shifted dramatically over the past decade. Interns are no longer expected to just grab coffee for the office, or perform mundane tasks viewed as undesirable by full-time workers. Nowadays, leading companies are crafting well-rounded internship programs to include relevant work that will advance the skillsets and expertise of interns, often treating them like new employees.

For interns themselves, there exists some rather convincing data that highlights the importance of an internship, and the impact these experiences can have on future job prospects. According to College Recruiter, students who complete at least one internship prior to graduation are more likely to receive multiple job offers once they complete their college coursework. Perhaps more importantly, a growing number of internships are paid positions – almost 63 percent at an average of $20.76/hour in 2020 – combating the pervasive assumption that most internships are unpaid.

How early should students begin considering applying for internships? The good news is that these unique work-based learning opportunities are not exclusive to soon-to-be or recent college graduates, despite the fact that only 2 percent of high school students have completed internships as recently as 2020.

Over the past several years, Michigan Works! agencies across the state have worked collaboratively with businesses, schools, and community partners to host MiCareerQuest events, a hands-on career exploration experience where students rotate through five high-demand industries – agribusiness, advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences, and information technology. During these events, students engage with professionals from each industry and participate in activities that showcase various high-growth occupations, opening their eyes to opportunities for great careers across the state.

Many of our Michigan Works! agencies are holding MiCareerQuest events this year in the month of May, while others are waiting until the fall to showcase in-demand industries and occupations in their regions. Please contact your local Michigan Works! agency to find out where and when there may be a MiCareerQuest event in your area.

Looking for additional internship resources? Connect with your local Michigan Works! agency to learn more about employers with internship opportunities in your community today.

Celebrating Women's History and Women in Construction in March

By Kim Way

Michigan Works! Association Chief Experience Officer

March is National Women’s History Month which is a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture and society. The influence that women have had in shaping the modern world and the world of workforce is vast, and I am honored to be able to stand on the shoulders of those women who have forged paths before me. Women’s history is everyone’s history, and women continue to make space for themselves while facing unique challenges as the development of the workforce system in the United States continues.

Progress for women in the workforce has seen large leaps, some slow but steady undercurrents, and many challenges that border on setbacks. The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the challenges that has specifically impacted working women, for a myriad of reasons, including that the burden of schoolwork and childcare continues to be treated as a women’s issue instead of a workforce issue. We have also seen prevailing trends continue, with women of color being more likely to have been laid off or furloughed during the COVID-19 crisis, stalling their careers, and jeopardizing their financial security and the security of their families. Over 200,000 women have left the workforce in Michigan over the course of the pandemic.  According to a report by the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives entitled “Women in the Workforce,” only 57 percent of women in the state work full-time, year-round compared to 71 percent of men. About 80,000 of those women who left the workforce during the pandemic are still not back to work, leaving a large hole of impact and influence that Michigan women used to fill.

Personally, I have felt the strain of being a woman in a professional setting and have encountered challenges that I know are not isolated incidents. Most notably, while six months pregnant with my second child, my workplace accepted a change of primary contractor. Although I had been with the company for six years, and the new company retained me in my position, I was not eligible for FMLA (they stated I hadn’t been with their company long enough to qualify) and I was not eligible for leave time (I gave birth before I was with that contractor for 90 days). I gave birth to my son on a Tuesday and was let go from my position on a Friday. The entire experience took a toll on my self-worth, my ability to provide for my family, my pride, and my faith in the loyalty of employers to their employees. I felt like the time and effort I had given to them was for nothing, and that I was abandoned when at my most vulnerable. I was very fortunate to find a new position when my son was three months old, but the experience highlighted one of the many ways that womanhood and motherhood is seen as an obstacle, instead of a strength, within an organization. I wish that this sort of experience was an isolated one, but it isn’t, women are denied opportunities every day because of the nature of their roles within the community.

The report mentioned above highlights some of those other challenges and obstacles that women in the workforce face every day. For example, women in Michigan working full-time, in 2019 made about 78 cents on the dollar compared to men; women are more likely to work multiple jobs than their male counterparts; and that women in the workforce tend to be more heavily concentrated in service-based industry sectors.  The healthcare and social assistance and educational services sectors are overwhelmingly female, with women representing almost 80 percent of total jobs and 70 percent, respectively.  The industry sector with the smallest degree of female representation is construction. Although much progress has been made for working women, they have yet to occupy spaces in trades like the construction industry, which continue to be heavily male-dominated. Recruitment of women into STEM industries has been a growing area of focus for many organizations, as they realize the potential of women’s contribution to the field. But progress is still sluggish at best.

Noticing this lack of progress, March 6-12 has been designated as Women in Construction Week.  The focus of this celebration is to highlight women as a visible component of the construction industry.  Though more women are joining the construction industry than ever before, they still make up a very small portion of the workforce. Of the over 179,000 jobs in the Michigan construction sector in 2020, 14 percent were held by women, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Additionally, Michigan women accounted for 2,150 out of 19,730 active registered apprenticeships in 2019, representing just under 11 percent of the total.

There are concrete steps to be taken to continue to influence the future of the construction industry and to broaden the opportunities for women in those industries. Some of these efforts include increasing recruitment and improving inclusive retention policies, acknowledging and removing gender biased policies and work cultures, developing training programs and local mentorship groups to meet the needs of women, including more women in the hiring process, and encouraging women to become role models for other women.  Schools and educational programs also need to highlight the value of construction jobs for women and young girls so they can see the industry as a viable career path. With more and more groundbreaking women chipping away at gendered norms and leveling the playing field, the industry is taking bigger steps at becoming a more diverse and inclusive space for future generations.

Michigan Works! is proud to recognize the history of women in the workforce, while also acknowledging the work that remains to be done. As our state continues to recover from the pandemic, Michigan Works! is here to assist job seekers in making career changes, connecting them to training opportunities and assisting them in overcoming barriers. Michigan Works! is in a unique position to understand the challenges of the workforce intimately, and we cannot wait to step into the future of Michigan’s workforce together.  

February is Career and Technical Education Month

By Ryan Hundt

Recent announcements like General Motors’ decision to invest $6.5 billion and create 4,000 jobs in Oakland County and Lansing helps emphasize Michigan’s competitive advantage in securing the future for electric vehicle production and high-wage job creation. But these decisions also underscore the importance of a highly-skilled, well-trained workforce, while highlighting efforts that often begin with career exploration and learning in K-12 and postsecondary settings. If our state is to parlay these investments into future opportunities, we must continue to put the spotlight on Career and Technical Education as a means of achieving long-term success.

The Michigan Works! Association and our members are proud to celebrate Career and Technical Education Month this February, which aims to increase awareness of the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across the country.

It should come as no surprise that a state with such a strong blue-collar heritage boasts some impressive statistics when it comes to CTE programs. Almost 35 percent of 11th and 12th grade students in Michigan are enrolled in a CTE program. Students who participate in CTE programs experience a consistent graduation rate above 95 percent year over year, about 15 percentage points higher than the average of all students in the state. Perhaps more impressive is the degree of preparation CTE students have in obtaining the academic, technical, and soft skills necessary to be successful in their educational and professional pursuits over the course of their careers.

Unfortunately, Michigan faces several challenges that necessitate additional investments and public awareness campaigns like Career and Technical Education Month. Despite the highest four-year graduation rate among other Great Lakes states, CTE enrollment in Michigan lags significantly behind states like Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio on a per capita basis. Michigan also trails Ohio and Illinois in overall CTE funding. Our state also continues to experience a widening skills gap, despite some of our successes in CTE programs. Fifty-four percent of jobs in Michigan require skills training beyond high school, while only 48 percent of Michigan workers are trained at this level.

Career and technical education programs can fill these gaps, particularly in Michigan’s key industries, like advanced manufacturing, mobility, automotive manufacturing, technology, and engineering design and development. And with Governor Whitmer’s ambitious, transformational Sixty by 30 initiative, CTE programs are critical in ensuring at least 60 percent of adults in Michigan have some type of postsecondary education or credential by 2030.

During this month, the Michigan Works! Association joins with the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and the Michigan Association for Career and Technical Education to encourage youths and adults in Michigan to be ambassadors for career and technical education and to send the message that Michigan career and technical education students are prepared for the 21st century high-wage, high-skilled, and in-demand jobs, a key component in making Michigan a Top 10 education state.

January is National Mentoring Month

 By Ryan Hundt 

January is National Mentoring Month, which serves as an opportunity to recognize the annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults. 

As leaders, we are called to serve, to inspire others and influence outcomes in our personal and professional lives. Whether you are a coach for your child’s little league team or working the front lines at Michigan Works!, you can make a significant impact in the lives of countless individuals. It is important to have a role model for success, and someone you trust who can give you positive reinforcement and hold you accountable.  

Research shows that mentors play a significant role in empowering young people, offering trusted advice and raising confidence levels to help navigate life’s most pressing challenges. 

In turn, these young people are: 

• 55% more likely to be enrolled in college 

• 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular  

• activities. 

• 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. 

• More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team. 

Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor. 

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor is highest.  This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.  Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real-life decisions. 

In Michigan, the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) and Mentor Michigan+ is asking you to celebrate National Mentoring Month by thanking your mentor on social media or reaching out to a child in need. 

Specific days to celebrate during National Mentor Month include: 

• January 6, 2022 – I Am a Mentor Day 

A day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their role and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world. 

• January 17, 2022 – International Mentoring Day 

Join the international conversation on social media where photos, videos and messages of powerful mentoring stories are shared. Use #MentoringDay & #MentoringMonth in your posts! 

• January 17, 2022 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service  

A day to share in the inspirational words of Dr. MLK, Jr. and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism. 

• January 27, 2022 – #ThankYourMentor Day 

Thank your Mentor for making a difference! 

Personally, I have benefited tremendously from mentorship opportunities over the course of my professional career, thanks in no small part to people like Jen Nelson, Valerie Christofferson, and Karl Dehn to name a few. Gratitude is an easy and powerful way to acknowledge the impact that another person has had on your life. Showing appreciation to those that have helped you out is a fantastic way to both inspire and encourage the next generation to become mentors. 

November 15-21 is National Apprenticeship Week

By Ryan Hundt

In today’s economy, where employers are having a hard time finding trained and skilled workers, companies are increasingly looking at different ways they can bring people into their organization.  As our nation gets back to work, apprenticeships can help workers earn an income while learning new skills that will help them succeed in a rapidly changing, globally competitive marketplace.

To that end, the Michigan Works! Association is joining in on the celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, which takes place from November 15-21, 2021. This is a nationwide celebration where industry, labor, equity, workforce, education, and government leaders host events to showcase the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeships for re-building our economy, advancing racial and gender equity, and supporting underserved communities.  NAW is an opportunity to highlight how Registered Apprenticeships, a proven and industry-driven training model, provide a critical talent pipeline that can help address some of our nation’s pressing workforce challenges. such as responding to critical supply chain demands, supporting a clean energy workforce, modernizing our cybersecurity response, addressing public health issues, and rebuilding our country’s infrastructure.

Apprenticeships offer benefits for both employers and employees alike.  For employers, apprenticeships provide a way to address skills gaps while mitigating the current labor shortage.  Employees who go through an apprenticeship program tend to be more loyal and are often able to adapt to change and perform tasks more quickly than those not hired from within the company.  Ninety-one percent of apprentices stay at the job where they received training, and employers receive an average of $1.47 back in increased productivity for every dollar spent on apprenticeship. 

Additionally, apprenticeship programs can benefit entire industries by changing misconceptions that manufacturing lacks career paths and employees work in dark, dirty, and dangerous facilities.  Manufacturing careers today are often high-skill, high-tech, and pay more on average than jobs in other industries.  

Here in Michigan, we are proud of our strong manufacturing heritage, and the role that apprenticeships continue to play in many of our driving industries. Despite a 12 percent decline in the number of new apprentices because of the pandemic, Michigan remains a top five state in the number of active apprentices nationally (19,397), while helping kickstart 39 new Registered Apprenticeship programs in 2020.

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has an online apprenticeship job finder that offers access to more than 20,000 open apprenticeships and more than 3,500 organizations in the U.S. in a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, healthcare and information technology.  You can find more information about this resource at www.apprenticeship.gov.

From a statewide perspective, the Michigan Works! network assists job seekers and employers with apprenticeships every day.  Michigan Works! staff helps connect job seekers with pre-apprenticeship programs for youth and adults, while connecting employers with Apprenticeship Success Coordinators to assist them with developing apprenticeship programs, registering apprenticeship programs with US Department of Labor, and providing application screening and qualified applicant referrals.

You can find more information about the Michigan Works! network and the services offered at www.michiganworks.org.  

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

By Ryan Hundt

This year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced that “America’s Recovery:  Powered by Inclusion” is the theme for October’s annual observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  This theme reflects the importance of ensuring individuals with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opening the door to opportunity for workers with disabilities is not just a goal, it is a responsibility.  Implementing sound and innovative policies that improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities is especially important because this population continues to be markedly underrepresented in the U.S. workforce.  Employment gives individuals a sense of purpose and self-worth.  For many, it defines who they are and is a source of justifiable pride. 

Ongoing harms caused by the pandemic have been especially evident for individuals with disabilities.  Disruptions in education, employment, health care and social services have been amplified.  Parents have taken on caregiving roles, while also stepping into new roles as special educators, speech therapists, behavior therapists, and more.  These situations are exhausting, frustrating, and simply not feasible for many families.

During the pandemic, the strong and resilient disability community reached out to help and strongly advocate for each other.  Social stories, video models, information sheets, and webinars were developed and shared to support those with disabilities, their families, and caregivers.  Following is an example for people with a variety of disabilities.

Before the pandemic, workers with disabilities, especially those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, would often be placed into customer-facing jobs such as retail or hospitality.  Getting people with disabilities back to work and retraining them for new jobs will be critical to rebuilding the economy. 

There is a surprising silver lining to the pandemic regarding workers with disabilities – labor force participation among people with disabilities has increased since the pandemic started.  In February 2020, according to the Kessler Foundation, the labor force participation rate for working-age people with disabilities is up to 35.4 percent. 

This means that individuals with disabilities are finding pathways into the workforce.  Remote work has become an accepted reality for thousands of workers.  This has normalized a common accommodation request made by workers with disabilities.  Employers are recognizing that workers with disabilities bring tremendous talent, skills, and knowledge to the workplace.

2021 marks the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The ADA was enacted and signed into law to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and access to opportunities as people without disabilities.

All individuals, regardless of disability, deserve the opportunity to be full members of their community where they can live, learn, work and play through all stages of life.  Passing the ADA was one crucial step forward in that long journey.  Thirty-one years later, we have come so far but we still have a long way to go. 

National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates the ingenuity that people with disabilities bring to workplaces across the country.  Ensuring that workplaces continue to include and accommodate individuals with disabilities will be an important part of the nation’s economic rebound. 

For more information about National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as well as ideas for how your organization can participate, visit www.dol.gov/ndeam.