How We Can Unlock the Potential of Formerly Incarcerated Talent
An estimated 1 in 3 working-age adults has a criminal history, representing a largely untapped pool of labor that is reliable, productive, eager to succeed – and often well-trained for in-demand skills. Between 2 million and 3 million people in Michigan have a felony conviction. An estimated 27% of them are unemployed — equating to […]
With AI on the Rise, Workers and Employers Need to Keep Up
A pandemic-fueled boom in high-tech automation has created opportunities as well as risks. Employers have an opportunity to manage both. The opportunities come in the form of more-affordable, more-capable automation options that allow even smaller companies to reduce labor costs, increase revenues and boost employee productivity. The risks arise when workers lack the education and […]
Michigan’s Shrinking Workforce: A Report on a Two-Decade Problem
Michigan’s workforce has shrunk by more than 703,000 people since 2000. The big question: Where did those 703,000-plus people go?
Expert Panelists Lined Up to Examine ROI of Upskilling Your Workforce
We’re ready to announce another powerhouse lineup for the next session of our lunchtime Talent Solutions Series. The event begins at noon on November 9 at Frederik Meijer Gardens, and we’ll be digging into a topic with great ROI for employers and employees alike: Upskilling Your Workforce. (HR professionals earn 1.5 professional development credits by […]
Are You Overlooking Your Best Candidates? We Have Solutions
On Oct. 13, the first installment of our lunchtime Talent Solutions Series, “Hiring for Attitude, Training for Skills,” takes a look at the vast opportunity that employers might be missing by focusing on candidate credential instead of potential.
A New Name and a New Series for a New Era of Talent in West Michigan
A new name is just the start as TalentFirst enters a new era of helping West Michigan employers find solutions to historic challenges of attracting, developing and retaining world-class talent. Our organization, previously known as Talent 2025, is announcing an unprecedented lineup of monthly events kicking off this fall. The five-part Talent Solution Series brings […]
Growing talent gap plagues Michigan businesses
Post-pandemic, the number of help-wanted signs and online job postings have soared; it seems a crisis has arisen overnight. The need for talent in Michigan, however, is not a new occurrence. In fact, our state’s current talent shortage is nearing epic proportions.
Exploring the ROI of Pre-K in Michigan
Extensive research has long established that investing in Early Childhood Education pays long-term dividends in academics and life. This has been the foundation for Talent 2025’s support of high-quality ECE programs.
How West Michigan Businesses are Supporting Postsecondary Attainment
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who in her inaugural address in 2019 included a commitment to ensuring “everyone in the state has the education and skills needed to compete for good-paying jobs,” urged the state to raise its rate of working-age adults with a certificate or college degree from 44 percent to 60 percent by the year […]
Labor Market Trends and Insights from Q4 2021
This week we released our first quarterly labor market report of the year, which spans the fourth quarter of 2021. These reports play an integral role in our effort to catalyze and align the talent system in West Michigan, with the provision of actionable data and analysis on in-demand occupations and the state of the […]