Chris Holman spends some time with Carrie Rosingana, CEO, CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works!, serving Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties.
Watch Carrie and Chris discuss the great things happening in 2021 and ’22 in this YouTube video shared below.
During their conversation, Chris looked to find out:
QUESTION: Looking back on 2021, what have your biggest takeaways been? What has changed for Capital Area Michigan Works!?
ANSWER: For starters, our team itself grew and evolved to ensure that services to job seekers and employers met their needs. 2021 marked my first full year as CEO after serving as CAMW!’s chief operating officer since 2015. Tekea Norwood, who has 16 years of experience in workforce development and previously served as CAMW!’s program compliance manager, was promoted to COO. Nick Chaffin, previously a data officer for CAMW!, is now our program compliance manager. Robert Ramon, previously part of client support services with Peckham, Inc., joined our administrative team. Amirika Richardson transitioned from our Business Resource Network to become our first clean slate navigator. And we welcomed Derek Manchip, accounting assistant. When we work with employers, we always emphasize the economic benefits of retaining employees. But the pride and gratification of witnessing your employees reach their full potential is just as valuable. Our team truly cares about the work we do – every single person has a heart for helping others, and that’s what makes our team so unique. With support from our partners at Peckham, our Clinton County American Job Center moved to a new, even more physically accessible location, and our Clinton County team worked tirelessly to make our new center welcoming and functional for all who enter the doors. Not to mention all of the other passionate, driven staff at CAMW!. I simply couldn’t be prouder of our entire team and their dedication to serving our community.
QUESTION: What support did CAMW! provide to employers this year?
ANSWER: In a year of staffing shortages and increased recruiting challenges because of the ongoing pandemic, our Business Services Team provided support through job fair assistance, specialized resources for employers to address training and skills needs. In total, the BST served 546 businesses this year and 1,763 employees were trained through the Going PRO Talent Fund with support from CAMW!. The Business Resource Network at CAMW! is dedicated solely to helping employers with retention efforts by providing confidential, one-on-one support to employees struggling with external impacts on their job performance, from transportation barriers to homelessness to financial planning. Previously, the BRN often worked with employers in the manufacturing sector, but this year, they supported one of the largest employers in the medical community: Sparrow Health System. This addition of a health care employer, thanks to the dedication of our Business Service Officer Joe Winkiel, expands the opportunity to support a more diverse group of employers in the future. Our team also supported employers with skilled workers through apprenticeships. Apprenticeships help develop and grow a highly-skilled workforce in the region by retaining institutional knowledge that is passed on by experienced workers nearing retirement. Our Apprenticeship Success Coordinator Jay LaNew organized a Women in Skilled Trades Day and participated in several career fairs and informational sessions at secondary education providers. The demand for highly skilled workers only continues to rise, and those seeking work don’t always have the necessary skills to meet employers’ needs. We’re here to help employers find, recruit and retain top talent.
QUESTION: As we close out 2021, is there anything you’d like to say to the business community? ANSWER: We’re proud of the progress we continue to make each year to adapt to our employers’ needs. In the world and within workforce development, we face a lot of inequities and barriers daily. We also recognize growing challenges exist as a result of the pandemic and intergenerational poverty. Capital Area Michigan Works! has been dedicated to reducing inequities and challenges, working to build and embrace an inclusive culture internally, and ensuring that inclusivity is represented throughout all programs, community relationships, and job seekers. CAMW! is committed to uniting with partners across the region and our state to make a meaningful impact for workforce development that will live long past the pandemic. This year, our staff and partners made it a priority to ask questions, listen and learn to advance progress toward an inclusive workforce for our agency while also helping to share best practices and resources with those we work alongside in the communities we serve. The work is far from over and, in many cases, we’ve just scratched the surface of work that needs to be done. But it’s time to celebrate progress as we move into the new year. We’re thankful for the business community in Michigan and we’re proud of the work we’ve done together to recruit, train and retain talent together.
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