If you are a business looking to up-skill your employees or build out a certification, skill or career path, Michigan’s Going PRO Talent Fund is designed to help you get there by reimbursing a portion of the training cost with competitive grants.
The Michigan Chamber, in partnership with the Michigan Works! Association, hosted a free informational session this week to help unpack this program and make it as easy as possible to understand the key criteria, parameters and timeframes as well as apply successfully.
If you missed this webinar, you can catch it on-demand along with a copy of the presentation.
Here are also a few top takeaways:
- Almost any Michigan employer is eligible. Most private sector businesses are eligible as long as they have a Michigan presence and are in full compliance with federal and state tax obligations.
- Training grants of $2,000 each (or $3,500 for registered apprentices) are available for full-time, permanent employees working at least 32 hours/week. Training can begin after the grant is awarded and must be completed within 12 months. The expectation is that employees are at least 18 years old, legally eligible to work in the US, retained at completion of training, and paid at the current labor market rate or higher for the job title.
- Many different kinds of training and training providers are acceptable. Whether it’s a Michigan community college program or classes or a live instructor on site, a variety of options are available for reimbursement. All training just must lead to a credential, certificate, certification, academic credit or license. Seminars, conferences, self-paced online training are examples of training that are ineligible.
- Application scoring criteria isn’t available yet, but is expected soon from the state of Michigan. Stay tuned and check for updates. There are several industries flagged as priorities this application year:
Agribusiness, Construction, Education, Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality/Outdoor Recreation, IT, Manufacturing, and Mobility - There are two different application cycles available with a total of $55 million available in grant funding. Oct. 1 signals the kickoff of this coming year’s grant program. Full instructions are expected to be released Nov. 14 for Cycle 1 funding with an application deadline of Dec. 15 for training that can occur Feb. 1, 2023, through Jan. 31, 2024. Cycle 2 instructions are expected to be released March 31, 2023, with a deadline of April 28, 2023, for training that can occur from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
- Your local Michigan Works! Agency is your hands-on partner. Contact or meet with your local agency today. Simply scroll down and click your region on the map. That’s the first step in the application process. Specialists can help you determine your training needs and if/how Going PRO Talent Fund can help or if there are other funds or programs available, as well as help you establish your specific account and login.
Visit Michigan.gov/TalentFund for full details and additional resources. Contact the Michigan Chamber’s Amy Mulholland or Leah Robinson with any questions at amulholland@michamber.com or lrobinson@michamber.com.