Upskilling has moved from a learning initiative to a business imperative—but many organizations still treat it as a side project rather than a strategic advantage. In this exclusive HR Council session, hosted by Stephanie Schoenherr of Cascade Engineering and led by Michelle Burke of The Michigan Center for Adult College Success (MCACS), participants will move from recognition to action—learning how to frame, measure, and activate upskilling as a key driver of workforce continuity and organizational resilience.
Through data, real-world examples, and facilitated activities, participants will:
- Examine the ROI of upskilling vs. external hiring
- Explore practical ways to link learning investments to workforce forecasting and succession planning
- Understand the motivations and barriers of your workforce when it comes to education and training
- Participate in interactive exercises to build employee personas and identify effective development pathways
This working session will leave HR leaders with the insight and tools to make a stronger case for upskilling backed by data, storytelling, and talent ecosystem partners.
What is the HR Council?
The TalentFirst HR Council is an exclusive, peer network for West Michigan’s top human resources and talent strategy executives. Council members serve as the CHRO or in a comparable senior role overseeing talent strategy. This dynamic community of practice provides an unparalleled platform to:
- Connect: Build partnerships with peers, educators, workforce organizations, and community leaders to amplify impact.
- Collaborate: Share research, leading practices, and actionable strategies to tackle today’s workforce challenges.
- Create Solutions: Evaluate labor market trends, identify gaps, and co-develop innovative approaches to enhance talent attraction, development, and retention of our region’s diverse workforce.
Together, we leverage our collective expertise to position West Michigan as a national leader in talent.
Member-Exclusive Invitation
Members have received a calendar invitation with the event details through which they can RSVP. Reach out to Carly Smyly, c.smyly@talentfirst.net, with any questions.