Northeastern Michigan Talent Development Successes Honored by State Leaders, Workforce Experts

Northeastern Michigan Talent Development Successes Honored by State Leaders, Workforce Experts  

Lawmakers Celebrate Local Talent, Career Development Efforts in Northeastern Michigan  

LANSING, MI (March 24, 2022)— Northeastern Michigan talent development and employment successes were among those celebrated by state leaders at the Michigan Works! Association Impact Awards this week. 

Local lawmakers and statewide talent development officials gathered virtually, and in-person, on Thursday, March 24 to recognize local resident Stacie Badley, Rise Center for Autism, and the Michigan Works! Region 7B Consortium for creating a Behavioral Technician apprenticeship program.  

The RISE Center for Autism first opened its doors to autistic children in 2017. Since opening their center in Prudenville, Dr. Margaret Ficaj has had difficulty recruiting new employees and retaining them. Many conversations have occurred over the years; however, while promoting the FY21 Going PRO Talent Fund the apprenticeship program was identified as a possible solution to their staffing issues.  

Michigan Works! Region 7B staff assisted Dr. Ficaj with setting up a Behavioral Health Technician Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program. In April 2021, the apprenticeship was approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Once in place, the apprenticeship opportunity was advertised on the Pure Michigan Talent Connect website. Several candidates were identified, and funding was used to offset training costs for the On-the-Job Training component of the apprenticeship. 

 In April 2021, Stacie Badley contacted the Michigan Works! Office in Prudenville to complete the Career Scope assessment for the open position as a Behavioral Health Technician at the RISE Center for Autism in Prudenville. Badley had previous experience as a mental health assistant and a paraprofessional and felt she would be a great addition to their team. The employer had recently set up a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Program for Behavioral Health Technicians and Badley was very interested in an apprenticeship. 

In May 2021, Badley was one of the first apprentices at the RISE Center for Autism. She has officially begun her apprenticeship and is working toward receiving her certification. She enjoys working with kids and looks forward to her job every day. Badley is an exceptional employee, and it instantly shows in her smile. Michigan Works! Is delighted to have been able to assist her with her long-term career goals. 

Since beginning to work with Michigan Works! Region 7B, RISE’s employee retention is up 90 percent, staffing has increased 36 percent, with 50 percent of those staff being full-time (all previous were part-time). RISE also opened a second clinic in Gladwin, expanded home-site services to add six additional counties through a recently adhered new contract, and will soon be expanding its scope through the launch of a non-profit version of RISE. 

"With Michigan Works! Region 7B as a partner, RISE was able to craft better employment practices,” said Michigan Works! Region 7B Consortium executive director Mark Berdan. “RISE took what our staff suggested to heart and helped shift its technician staff hiring mindset from hiring ‘any warm body’ -- as they had been doing in staffing urgency – to scrutinizing to hire ‘quality,’ which ultimately translated into retention. With the help of Region 7B, RISE also developed an apprenticeship program that was the first of its kind in the area. RISE truly valued the professional advice given by Region 7B staff.” 

Dr. Ficaj is an outstanding example of an employer and is valued in the communities she serves. She understands that as a business owner you often need to take a closer look at internal operations, challenges, wages, and policies to make your business stronger. 

"With Michigan Works! Region 7B as a partner helping us craft our employment practices, RISE has not only been able to navigate the turbulent waves of the recent pandemic, but we have come out different and stronger,” said Dr. Ficaj. 

The Impact Awards hosted by the Michigan Works! Association recognizes the economic development success being achieved in communities across Michigan. During the event, local lawmakers present tributes to dozens of honorees from across the state.   

“It’s exciting to see how the Behavioral Health Technician apprenticeship is supporting the growth of talent in our region,” said state Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington). “Kudos to RISE Center for Autism for implementing this important program.” 

Award winners included employers, workers, Michigan Works! organizations, and partners from across the state. 

“Congratulations to Stacie, RISE Center for Autism, and Michigan Works! Region 7B,” said state Rep. Daire Rendon (R-Lake City). “The daily effort Michigan Works! puts into coordinating with local employers and other partners makes all the difference in talent development and retention in this area.”  

The Michigan Works! Association is a non-profit membership organization that provides services and support to Michigan’s talent eco-system. For over 30 years, the Association has been the go-to resource for federal, state, and local workforce initiatives.  

The Association’s work ensures top-quality services and support for Michigan’s talent pipeline. For more information, please visit michiganworks.org.  

Find the nearest Michigan Works! American Job Center by visiting https://www.michiganworks.org/michigan-works-network or by calling (1-800) 285-WORKS (9675). 

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