Chris Holman welcomes CEO for Michigan Works! Association Luann Dunsford to the Michigan Business Network. The Michigan Works! Association offers a variety of training opportunities which is part of the three pillars of service that the association offers to its members. Luann explains how the Business Solutions Professional (BSP) program is essential to finding and boosting local talent. The BSP program adds an elevated level of knowledge and expertise that assists certified professionals in discovering new approaches to addressing customer needs. The BSP program is open to anyone who is interested in enrolling in it. You can learn more about the BSP program by visiting the Michigan Works! website at https://www.michiganworks.org/bsp-training

Watch the full interview with Luann now!

SCRIPT

I know one of the many great services the Michigan Works! Association offers to its members is a variety of training opportunities. Can you tell me about the training that is offered by the Michigan Works! Association?

• The Association promotes knowledge amongst our membership by engaging and developing today’s workforce leaders, through events like our Annual Conference and other essential training offerings.
• Most of our training is directed at our members and partners, like those we work closely with at the State of Michigan.
• That being said, we also offer some training that anyone can attend like the two recent national webinars we offered about working in a COVID economy and dealing with stress.
• We have found that working remotely during this crisis has presented a lot of opportunities to offer new and different training as well as allowing us to widen our audience for our offerings.
• We also have our Business Solutions Professional (BSP) program that is available for anyone to sign up for.

What is the Business Solutions Professional program and why is it important?

• When it comes to finding and boosting local talent, there is no substitute for a Michigan Works! Association BSP.
• Those who go through the BSP program:

o Learn how to approach business challenges and effectively leverage key partnerships in talent development, economic development and education, among others, to provide business solutions.

o Gain a deeper understanding of the public and private assets available to business clients.

o Learn how to apply the BSP model and process to real-world business challenges through case studies, group work and fieldwork.

o Hear from experts that are using the BSP model in their daily encounters with business clients.

o Unlock the key to a demand-driven approach to talent needs.

o Learn how to ensure no encounters with an employer go to waste.

• The BSP program adds an elevated level of knowledge and expertise that assists certified professionals in discovering new approaches to addressing customer needs.
• Upon completion of the BSP program, individuals have a powerful understanding of how to connect community members with available assets and resources, from training grants and business consultation to tax-related incentives, education programs, and business networks, just to name a few.
• By completing the BSP program, participants join a network of talented professionals from multiple employer-facing disciplines that can help them succeed in their current role and advance their careers.

I understand the Michigan Works! Association recently became accredited. What does that mean?

• The International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) recently awarded the Association the prestigious Accredited Provider accreditation.
• Accredited Providers are the only organizations approved to offer IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
• The only accredited program the Association offers right now is our BSP program, but this accreditation allows us to expand our program offerings.
• The Association is proud of the BSP program which educates approximately 80 BSPs each year in critical workforce development skills so that our members and community partners can work effectively within a demand-driven system.
• Our accreditation with IACET is a demonstration of our commitment to quality continuing education and high standards for all of our programs.
• We are very pleased to join such a prestigious organization as well as an elite group of organizations that offer excellent continuing education and training programs.

Why is accreditation important?

• Accreditation is third-party validation awarded to an organization that has achieved a particular status by meeting standards set by external regulators.
• The participant receiving the continuing education credit has demonstrated that he or she have achieved the learning outcomes by mastering the knowledge and skills outlined in the program.
• It is also proof that the learning outcomes have been developed using a proven instructional design methodology and benchmarked against industry best practices.
• As an organization that strives for the gold standard in professional development, we wanted to ensure we are offering a BSP program that is accredited and that allows participants to earn continuing education credits.

Who can enroll in the BSP program and how do they get more information about the program?

• The BSP program is open to anyone who is interested in enrolling in it.
• You can learn more about the BSP program by visiting the Michigan Works! website at Michiganworks.org/bsp-training.