Labor Force

Smart Labor Force

Labor Availability

• Michigan's total labor force now exceeds 5.1 million, more than the populations of 31 other states.
• In 1997, a total of 91,053 public high school graduates entered the workforce.
• In comparison to surrounding states, Michigan's younger population profile insures a balanced long-term employee pool.

Areas of Surplus Labor

While Michigan's unemployment rate overall has remained at record lows for 5 years, areas remain where labor is in plentiful supply. The map of unemployment rates by county is updated monthly and can be accessed at http://www.michlmi.org/.

MEDC TRAINING FUND

MICHIGAN TALENT BANK
The Michigan Talent Bank uses 21st-century technology to help match job seekers with job openings. It works by accepting resumes of job seekers via the Internet, and allowing employers to search online for potential candidates. Employers are also able to post jobs, which may be searched by job seekers. There are more than 300,000 resumes and 40,000 jobs listed. The system is free to employers and job seekers, and is located at http://www.michworks.org/. Employers are verified within 72 hours before being allowed full access to resumes.

MICHIGAN WORKS! SERVICE CENTERS
One-stop access to the state's major workforce development programs is available to employers and jobs seekers at 102 Michigan Works! service centers located around the state. Services are free of charge, including access to the Michigan Talent Bank and Job Bank with more than 300,000 resumes and thousands of job openings posted online.
Employers will find workforce development support, including:
 Assistance in finding qualified workers.
 Access to the Michigan Talent Bank.
 Interview facilities for recruitment of workers.
 Information on customized training, labor markets, workplace accommodation and tax credits for new hires.
 Training incentives such as on-the-job training programs (based on worker eligibility).

Michigan Works! also provides a wide variety of programs and services designed to prepare youth and adults for entry into the labor force, including training, job search assistance, pre-employment and work maturity skills, readjustment services for dislocated workers, and school-to-work assistance.

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MICHIGAN TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTERSSM
(M-TECSM)
Michigan has committed $60 million for capital costs to community colleges to establish 16 new technical training centers known as Michigan Technical Education Centers. These centers are focused on delivering training programs in high-wage, high-skill, high-demand occupations to increase the numbers of skilled employees in these fields.

These centers are designed to promote the highest standard of partnership between business, industry and education skill-based, open-entry, individualized and self-paced training for students and businesses.

WORKPLACE WAGES
Wages in Michigan are extremely competitive. If they were not, the state would not have added (81,000) three times the number of manufacturing jobs created nationwide (26,000) between 1991 and 1997.

Michigan is graced with the presence of hundreds of world-renowned companies. However, the predominance of headquarters, R&D, and auto manufacturing locations among them, with their highly paid corporate and technical staff, tends to skew wage data to the high end, making traditional occupational wage comparisons misleading. A more accurate picture can be obtained by looking at companies employing between 50 and 500. It happens that most companies expanding their operations into Michigan are within this range.
 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Planning & Development Department - (248) 656-4660
Economic Development - (248) 841-2577
email

Excerpted from:  http://medc.michigan.org