Q&A with Michigan Works! West Central’s Executive Director Shelly Keene

Earlier this month, Gotion Inc., a subsidiary of a global high-tech company that manufacturers power batteries for electric commercial, passenger, and hybrid vehicles, announced plans to invest $2.36 billion to build a battery component manufacturing facility in Big Rapids, MI. When fully operational, the facility will employ up to 2,350 jobs, representing one of the largest business investment projects in northern Michigan’s history. 

While competing with other states for this transformational investment, workforce development remained a key priority for company officials and community stakeholders. Michigan Works! Association CEO Ryan Hundt recently sat down with Michigan Works! West Central’s Executive Director Shelly Keene to learn more about the integral role her organization played in the company’s ultimate decision to locate the project in Big Rapids. 

Hundt: Shelly, first and foremost, congratulations to the entire region and your organization for putting together a compelling case to secure this project. Can you begin by telling us more about the project and the role that Michigan Works! West Central played in encouraging Gotion to select Big Rapids as a strategic location for this historic investment? 

Keene: Michigan Works! West Central has been a part of the conversation to bring this momentous project to the Big Rapids region since its early stages, as securing a skilled workforce will be a top priority. We are ready to work with our regional training providers to enroll qualified candidates in 6- to 12-month training programs to meet Gotion’s hiring needs.  

To help bring this once-a-century project to our region, we have committed to provide up to $315,000 in training funding assistance through our On-the-Job Training and Incumbent Worker programs. Our team also is prepared to provide Gotion with employee recruitment assistance, as well as provide office space for the company to conduct private interviews, host worker orientations, provide classroom training and more.  

We also will work with Gotion to file U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship standards for the creation of skilled-trades training programs at the facility, and also assist them in applying for the annual Going PRO Talent Fund program.  

Hundt: Many rural communities like Big Rapids have experienced some population decline the last few decades. Can you describe the impact this investment and job creation will have on Big Rapids and surrounding communities? 

Keene: This is a once-in-a-century investment in our region. A project of this scale will require a blend of local talent and recruitment of new workers to the region. My team is ready to step up to help Gotion meet their hiring needs as quickly and efficiently as possible.  

The Big Rapids area already has those who travel from as far away as 60 miles to work in our community. The new positions created through this project will increase the number of competitive job opportunities in the region, which will in turn increase the number of people who commute to the area for work. It also will attract new individuals and families to the region, which will attend class in our schools, shop in our stores, eat in our restaurants, take advantage of the beauty of west-central Michigan and so much more.  

The training programs being established by our partners at Ferris State University and regional community colleges, high schools and CTE program will help to develop a sustainable talent pipeline for this burgeoning high-tech industry.  

Hundt: How is the region positioned to take advantage of the employment opportunities created by Gotion? What steps is Michigan Works! West Central taking to help residents land a job and begin working in these middle and high-skilled positions? 

Keene: Gotion has outlined its hiring needs throughout the development of its battery-component campus in Big Rapids. There are several regional partners working together to develop 6- to 12-month training programs to assist in meeting the various stages of Gotion’s hiring timeline.  

Our partners at Ferris State University and regional community colleges, high schools and CTE program are diligently working to develop training programs to support a sustainable long-term talent pipeline as the automotive industry shifts toward electric vehicles.  

Our goal at Michigan Works! West Central is to assist qualified job seekers from across the region and beyond to obtain meaningful and profitable employment, so they are able to provide for their families and support the local economy. The production-level jobs created at the Gotion facility will offer a competitive living wage that puts Gotion in the top tier of manufacturing wages in our region.  

Michigan Works! West Central has several training-funding assistance programs that will help hundreds of workers successfully complete job-related training, as well as wrap-around support services to assist them with any additional needs, such as obtaining learning materials, transportation and more.  

Hundt: This project would not have been possible without key partnerships among several other stakeholders in the region and the state. Can you share your insights as to how important these partnerships were in helping this project cross the finish line? 

Keene: Michigan Works! West Central is proud to have been a part of the team instrumental in attracting Gotion to the Big Rapids region. For more than a year, several key partners at the state, regional and local levels worked diligently to put together an attractive incentive package and respond to inquiries by Gotion to convince them to come to our region.  

Forty communities across the country were competing with Big Rapids to bring Gotion to their region. I commend the hard work by everyone involved to ensure that our region was selected for this momentous project.  

Key partners in this process include Ferris State University, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the Mecosta County Development Corporation powered by the Right Place, Consumers Energy and our local municipal leaders. Without the vast knowledge and experience brought to the table by all of the partners involved, combined with the vision for training program potential at our local and regional education partners, this project would not have come to fruition.  

To learn more about how Michigan Works! West Central is supporting employers in job seekers in Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana and Osceola counties, visit www.mwwc.org. For more information on the Michigan Works! Association, visit www.michiganworks.org.