Jeffrey Mosher speaks with Stepheni Willis, Director of Communications for the Michigan Works! Association.  

Click below to hear Steph and Jeffrey’s interview in this podcast! 

In this interview shared above Steph reviews answers to questions such as:

I understand December is Career Exploration and Awareness Month. Why is it important to bring awareness to this issue?

· Effective career exploration, as well as internship and apprenticeship opportunities, are essential to helping individuals recognize a wealth of career options and choices and to connect to the education and skills pathways for those careers.

· The state has an urgent and growing need for talent so bringing awareness to career exploration will help ensure all Michigan residents have access to the tools and resources they need for career exploration at any stage of life.

· Career Exploration and Awareness Month also ties into Governor Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to increase the percentage of adults in the state with a post-secondary degree or credential by the year 2030.

 

How has the pandemic impacted career exploration?

· When schools paused classroom learning and businesses limited the number of individuals allowed in their offices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it disrupted the various approaches used to introduce students and parents to good careers.

· In-person job and career fairs, internships and hands-on lab work all went on hiatus.

· Despite this pause, the pandemic has made career exploration even more important because of the impact COVID-19 has had on the economy.

 

What are some of the ways our listeners can learn more about career exploration?

· Students, their parents and school counselors are encouraged to check out the Michigan Career and Education Pathfinder websites to explore careers and identify educational opportunities throughout the state.

· Pathfinder helps people make informed choices about educational and career options and plans to reach goals.

· Pathfinder is a free tool that uses labor market information, wage data and other metrics to best match users and their skills with career paths and jobs.

· You can access the Pathfinder website at pathfinder.mitalent.org.

· To further dive into career exploration, the Going PRO Michigan website offers Michigan residents a platform to explore careers with more than 545,000 openings through 2026 in the fields of manufacturing, automotive, IT, health care, and construction.

· Going PRO identifies training and education required for in-demand careers, shares current job openings, and highlights a day in the life of each profession to paint a clear picture of what that career looks like.

· You can access the Going PRO Michigan website at going-pro.com.

· The Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives identifies career and labor trends across the state.

· The Bureau of Labor and Market Information produces Michigan’s Hot 50 jobs report which covers high-demand, high-wage careers that show a favorable mix of long-term job growth, projected annual job openings, and median wages.

· They also produce Michigan’s Career Outlook report which provides multiple lists of in-demand occupations by education and training requirements.

· And, finally, they produce the Regional Career Outlook report which provides a breakdown of career outlook data in each of the state’s 10 regions.

· You can access the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives website at milmi.org.

· Additionally, Michigan residents interested in education beyond high school to gain the skills they need for rewarding careers are encouraged to explore free education and training resources like the Futures for Frontliners website at Michigan.gov/frontliners and the upcoming 2021 Michigan Reconnect program that will provide free tuition to Michiganders age 25 and up.

 

How does Michigan Works! assist individuals with career exploration?

· The Michigan Works! network is proud to play an integral part in assisting employers across industry sectors in establishing training programs such as Registered Apprenticeships and expanding existing training programs as well as helping job seekers connect to these career opportunities to create a diverse pipeline of skilled workers to meet the industry’s talent needs.

· Now, more than ever, Michigan residents must better understand they have many options and that there are multiple career pathways which include pursuing stackable credentials, certificates, and degrees.

· Michigan Works! is here to better prepare Michigan residents to understand that the workplace of today and the future requires lifelong learning.

 

How can our listeners learn more about the Michigan Works! Association and the Michigan Works! network?

· You can visit our website at michiganworks.org to learn more about the Association.

· On the Association website you will also find a map that will link you to the websites of each of our Michigan Works! organizations.