Michigan Works! Applauds Lawmakers for Restoring Going Pro Talent Fund Money To FY 2020 State Budget
LANSING, MI (March 10, 2020) – Luann Dunsford, CEO of the Michigan Works! Association released the following statement in response to the passage of Senate Bill 151, which restores $15 million to the FY 2020 state budget to fund the Going PRO Talent Fund program:
“We applaud the Michigan legislature for their commitment to restoring money to the FY 2020 state budget in order to continue providing grants to Michigan businesses so they can provide critical training for both current employees and new hires.
“The passage of Senate Bill 151 provides $15 million, in FY 2020, that will be awarded to employers across the state to help them meet the challenges they have with locating, training and retaining the talent needed to remain competitive with other states as well as around the world.
“While we are grateful for the $15 million this year, it is a much lower level than the program has been funded at in the past. It is imperative that the FY 2021 budget appropriation is at an amount that matches the increasing demand for this program.
“Since the inception of the Talent Fund program in 2014, nearly $100 million has been awarded to more than 3,000 businesses across the state, resulting in the retention of 72,542 jobs.
“The need for highly-skilled talent has never been greater in our state. We will be facing a professional trades workforce gap of over 545,000 job openings by 2026. Going PRO Talent Fund has proven to be one of the most effective resources available to address Michigan’s talent crisis. The restoration of this funding is an important part of bridging the talent gap.”
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