With Michigan leading the nation in new job growth and the Federal Reserve projecting Michigan is on track to lead all other states in job growth over the next six months, a growing number of Michiganders are seeing the opportunities of coming home.
MSNBC this week trumpeted the state’s economic growthduring an interview with Gov. Rick Snyder who addressedCongressional panels withMichael Finney, President and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. They appeared before Congress to testify on job creation and how Michigan can serve as a role model for other states.
Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing all recently ranked in the top 10 for growth in manufacturing and other sectors. Just last week, President Obama similarly touted Michigan’s national leadership in advanced manufacturing and research and development. Bloomberg Businessweek also spotlighted the state’s growth.
They also said spoke of unleashing “the Era of Innovation” by empowering talented people through the ‘Three Cs: Connecting, Collaborating and Creating.’
Michiganders who left the state and were drawn back by Pure Michigan opportunities are featured in a new Pure Michigan MiAdvantage video out today.
“I am who I am because of the education in this state, growing up in this state,” notes Jonathan Seyferth, a Central Michigan University graduate who moved to Wyoming and was recently drawn back. “I wanted to make sure that if I had the opportunity to have a positive impact, I was going to take advantage of that.”
With a renewed focus on attracting and retaining talent, the MEDC Talent Team is looking to attract talented former residents in hard-to-fill or growing fields to MichAGAIN. The next event is slated for next week in Orlando, Fla.
Amy Cell, MEDC Vice President for Talent Enhancement, calls MichAGAIN a way to connect this valuable pool of talent to employers who are currently seeking to fill critical jobs.
Through partnerships with universities and alumni associations, the MichAGAIN program seeks to appeal to former residents, educating them on growth opportunities.
The MichAGAIN team also has plans to be in Austin, Texas March 9-13 and San Francisco May 8-10. For a complete listing and up to date information visit them at www.michagain.org.
Other upcoming talent-focused events and initiatives highlighting great Michigan opportunities are also in the works, including:
MiVirturalCareerFair: The very first state-sponsored virtual career fair aimed at filling the hottest IT and high tech positions. On February 15, job seekers will have the opportunity to interact with Michigan businesses, actively recruiting highly-skilled candidates through a live, 3-D virtual environment. Search jobs, submit resumes, and network from the comfort of your own home or office. Register today!
LiveWorkDetroit: Detroit is one of the hottest places in the country to live and work. LiveWorkDetroit gives college graduates and young professionals the opportunity to see it in person. Hear directly from employers eager to hire the best and brightest. New events are scheduled nearly every month, find out more at www.mitalent.org/LiveWorkDetroit.
Opportunity Spotlight: Features a list of in-demand jobs, rapidly hiring employers and key training programs for people in transitions, provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Workforce Development Agency.
Pure Michigan Talent Connect: Featuring nearly 80,000 current jobs along with career exploration tools. The site serves as the gateway for employers to find talent and job seekers to find new career opportunities. Begin your search at www.mitalent.org.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership serving as the state’s marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs, focuses on helping grow Michigan’s economy. For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit michiganadvantage.org
