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By 2025
Top-20 region
globally
64% Credentialed workforce
Early
Childhood
Development
K-12
Education
PostSecondary
Education
Adult
Workforce
Development
West
Michigan
Employers
13 counties
• 1.6M people
10,000+ employers
• $5.7B economic output
• 860,000 in the workforce
90+ school districts
13 major colleges &
universities
• 70,000 college students
WORKING GROUPS
Early childhood development
Veteran employment
K-12 education
Employer HR Practices
College and career readiness
Entrepreneurism
Higher education
Talent attraction and retention
Workforce development
Illuminate  Evaluate  Advocate
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Outcomes
 Student performance declines after third grade
 Too many college freshmen require a remedial
courses
 Post-secondary education attainment trails the
top performing communities
8
Future success will depend upon growing and
attracting an educated workforce
64%
Change in Credentials Demanded by Jobs in the Region
Percent of jobs
Degree level
2010 Baseline
2025
Advanced degree
Master's
Bachelor's
Associate's
Some college (inc. certificates)
HS diploma or GED
Less than HS
2.4
5.6
17.5
8.9
22.8
30.9
12.0
100,000
Change in number
of jobs
3.2
8.2
22.0
8.5
22.3
30.9
5.0
8,400
25,800
50,400
3,100
12,400
22,400
-49,800
More than 60% of all jobs in 2025 will require a post-secondary education.
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A Clear and Present Challenge: The region’s young adults are
falling behind in educational attainment.
2011 Post-Secondary Degrees by Age
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
TALENT 2025
Age 25-34
Indianapolis
Age 35-44
Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey, 2011.
Age 45-64
Des Moines
Age 65 and Over
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A wide set of skills across numerous industries are
required in the TALENT 2025 region.
Top 15 Skilled Occupations Posted in 2012
Registered Nurses
Heavy Truck Drivers
Mechanical Engineers
Software Developers, Applications
Maintenance and Repair
Supervisors of Production Workers
Computer Programmers
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool
Licensed Practical Nurses
Human Resources Specialists
Computer Systems Analysts
Light Truck Drivers
Executive Secretaries
Industrial Engineers
General and Operations Managers
Source: Burning Glass.
0
500
1,000
1,500
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Preliminary survey results: It is a challenge to find
workers with the following skills or education.
Leadership skills
Graduate degree
Ready and able to learn
Problem solving
Four-year Bachelor's
Amount of experience
Background checks including drug testing
High School
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
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What Employers Want
Job postings lack educational requirements
Minimum Posted Educational Requirements, 2012
Unknown
50%
Source: Burning Glass.
Post-secondary
High
school
or
Associate's
21%
degree
3%
Bachelor's
degree
24%
Graduate or
professional
degree
2%
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The challenge of communication
If employers do not post the required degrees
or certificates of their position, it is very likely
that they will attract unqualified applicants.
Moreover, it makes it more difficult for
applicants and educators to know what
training is in demand.
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What organizations are the
most helpful to businesses?
Universities
Community colleges
Private training associations
Staff agencies
Chambers of Commerce
Economic development organizations
Industry-based organizations
Workforce Investment Boards
Michigan Works!
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
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Aligning Supply & Demand
Workforce Intelligence Network
Manufacturing
IT
Health Care
Energy
Agriculture
Advisory Councils
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Focus Group Findings: Companies’ concerns
about the education system
K -12
• Need for more hands-on training
• Companies teaching newer skill sets than what is being taught in high school –companies partner
with schools to train teachers to teach for the industry
• High school counselors need to assist, nurture, and guide students
• Teach problem-solving earlier - don’t wait until college
Post Secondary
• College students need better communication skills
• More collaboration/partnerships - with college professors on projects, to address issues/concerns,
case studies, career services, etc.
• Colleges need to assist students to develop a well-rounded resume – don’t just focus on GPA
Both
• Limited resources – cuts to programs/courses impacts future workforce
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Older individuals cannot be ignored when
working to achieve the TALENT 2025 goal.
Percent of age group
Educational Attainment by Age, 2011
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
25-34
35-44
Associate's Degree
Source: IPUMS USA.
45-54
55-64
65 and over
Bachelor's or Higher
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 Performance data
o West MI
o County-level
 Leading practices
 Working Groups
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The Information Barrier
• The middle-skills jobs of today and tomorrow will
require more training than yesterday; however:
– Too many educators and job seekers are not aware of
the required skill sets for these positions.
– Only if the region’s education and workforce systems
are closely aligned with the needs of the employers
will labor mismatches be avoided.
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Projected TALENT 2025
Region’s Workforce Supply Flow
Employment
1,000,000
900,000
65 and older
800,000
700,000
In-Migrants
33%
600,000
500,000
15%
400,000
300,000
8%
Existing workforce age 18-49
200,000
34%
100,000
0
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
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What Employers Need
Top 10 High School Only Production Occupations
Posted in 2012 (with 2012 starting wages)
CNC Operators
Assemblers And Fabricators
Supervisors Of Production
Production Workers, Other
Inspectors
Welders
Machinists
Cutting, Punching, operators
Separating, Filtering, operators
Tool And Die Makers
$9.60
$9.00
$10.10
$16.10
0
50
$12.00
100
$9.20
$16.40
$9.80
$9.90
150
$9.90
200
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Source: Burning Glass & BLS Occupational Employment Survey
What Employers Need
Soft Skills
•Teamwork
•Problem
solving
•Reliability
•Leadership
•Being
professional
•Creative
thinking
•Atten-dance
•Work ethic
•Decision
making
•Resultsoriented
thinking
Technical
•Engineering
•Ability to
read
blueprints
•Welding
•Machining
•Materials
science
•Clinical
medical skills
•Precision
measurement
•Machine
guarding
Fit
Comm.
•Good fit
•Reading
•Desire to
•Customer
learn
service
•Being
•Writing
resilient
•Language
•Ability to
•Verbal
understand commun.
employer
needs
•Ability to
work in
different
workplace
environments
Math
Technology Education
•Basic math •Computer
•Statistical skills (MS
data
Office)
analysis
•E-learning
•Algebra tools
•Geometry •Writing
•Trig.
code
•Degrees in
Law, RN,
Engineering
•Silver
WorkKeys
Experience Marketing
•Digital
•Mfg
experience marketing
•Internship •Social
media
or work
experience
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Few job postings specify any required
certificates for the positions.
Top 15 Certifications Required (and one extra) in 2012
Registered Nurse
First Aid CPR AED
CDL Class A
Commercial Driver's License
Licensed Physician
Nurse Practitioner
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Physician's Assistant
Registered Health Info Technician
Registered Health Info Administrator
Certified Nursing Assistant
Medical Assistant
Basic Cardiac Life Support
Project Management (e.g. PMP)
Certified Coding Specialist
National Career Readiness Certificate
Source: Burning Glass.
15% of all job postings
specify a certificate
required for
employment.
The top 15 shown here
0
500
1,000
1,500
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Issues to be addressed by educators
1. Promote career paths to skills, not only to 2- and 4-year
college degrees
2. Integrate soft skills training into course work
3. Invest in resources to coordinate (business mentors,
curriculum, projects, tours, internships, apprenticeships,
work study)
4. More STEM training
5. Equipment, technology and curriculum should mirror what’s
used in industry today
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Innovative Practices (West Michigan)
Herman Miller Academy
Haworth/IChallengeU
Michigan College Advising Corps
Local Area College Access Networks
Baldwin Promise
Muskegon Opportunity
University Prep Academy
Schools of Hope
Ready for School
First Steps
Birth K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12+
Believe 2 Become
Kent Schools Services Network
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Where does business fit in?
• Partnering with the area’s middle and high
schools to bring a better understanding of the
world of work for both students, parents, and
teachers
• Working with the area’s ISDs and community
colleges to identify key workplace know how
skills and needed technical skills
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