Detroiter Magazine - December 2022

Curtis L. Ivery Wayne County Community College District

FROM THE PRESIDENT

MICHIGAN’S POLITICAL HEALTH WILL DRIVE OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH

Many of us breathed a sigh of relief as Election Season 2022 came to a close. Not because certain candidates or parties were victorious, but rather for Election Night’s lack of drama and the return to normal candidate behavior. For the most part, voters were able to cast their votes without impediment, election officials and volunteers were able to do their important work without unwarranted protests or harassment, and candidates that fell short engaged in the proud American tradition of conceding their election contests with a spirit of goodwill. Whew.

The 2022 election confirmed what Americans and political pundits know – we are a divided nation. As Michigan moved more toward “blue” state status with decisive victories by Governor Whitmer and other statewide Democrats, Florida moved more toward “red” state status with an equally decisive victory of a sitting Republican governor over a well-known former governor and member of Congress.

An element of Michigan’s “blue” shift in 2022 was the historic seizing of control by the Democrats of both chambers in the legislature after a generation of solid Republican control. For many in the business community this is cause for pause. History shows that as minority political parties regain majority control, political overreach is a likely outcome.

The unspoken truth is that America’s business community is no longer fully aligned with the Republican party. The demographics and interests of our two primary political parties have shifted dramatically over the last 15 years. On tax policy and regulatory issues, businesses still have a reliable ally in the Republicans. However, on matters such as addressing workforce and higher education issues – critical to the talent pipeline into businesses – and investment in critical infrastructure, the Democrats have become a newfound ally.

As businesses navigate the changing landscape, the Chamber has some suggested guidelines for our new legislature.

STABILITY MATTERS.

After 40 years without control of the legislature, the new majority would be wise to remember that overreaching on a political agenda that caters to the few, risks not only their hard-fought majority, but sends a destabilizing message to the rest of the nation and world. Businesses invest in places that exhibit longterm stability and have sustainable policies – not places that veer from one ideology to another.

HISTORY MATTERS.

Every minority party feels mistreated by the majority. While the new majority has earned the right to pursue policies that are different from the prior majority, it would be wise to treat today’s minority party as tomorrow’s majority party. Our politics work better when both political parties recognize that neither party gets it right all the time. Overall productivity is enhanced when each party treats the other with the knowledge that their current majority is temporary at best and bipartisan cooperation is the most successful legislative strategy.

CIVILITY MATTERS.

In Washington, we see daily reminders of how not to behave and treat others. The yelling, demagoguery, demonizing (and yes, even disinformation) that comes from the city of my birth and the bulk of my professional career is a regular abject lesson in what we don’t want our children to mimic. Such incivility can paralyze governing bodies, distract from significant issues that require bipartisan solutions, and result in clumsy or ill-fated policy changes that harm the economy. Here in Michigan, we can do better, and we deserve better. I urge our new legislature and its leaders to borrow an old (and sadly, outdated) Washington refrain, “the other party is not my enemy, they are simply my opponents today – for tomorrow they may be my ally.”

Let’s hope for better in Michigan.

K. BARUAH PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES THE CRITICAL ROLE OF

9 REGIONAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Nearly 530,000 jobs in highdemand, high-wage professional trades fields alone will be available in the state through 2028 with nearly 50% of those jobs requiring some postsecondary education, according to the state of Michigan. As employment patterns shift, creating diverse opportunities across all educational institutions of higher education is crucial.

Like their university counterparts, community colleges have a critical role to play in strengthening the talent pipeline across the region and meeting educational attainment goals. Through initiatives like the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) and the Detroit Regional Compact, the Detroit Regional Chamber is working to connect community colleges and employers in new, innovative ways to drive collective action to meet workforce demands.

Photos submitted by Henry Ford College, Macomb Community College, Monroe County Community College, Oakland Community College, Schoolcraft College, Washtenaw Community College and Wayne County Community College District.

BIG TIME Contributors

COMMUNITY COLLEGES KEY TO GROWING MICHIGAN'S SKILLED WORKFORCE

By John Gallagher

While companies scramble to find talent amid perceived ‘skills gaps’ and ‘labor shortages,’ many of their job postings have needlessly excluded half of the workers in the country who don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but have the skills for higher-wage work.”

BYRON AUGUSTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY@WORK

While not always getting the attention they deserve, when it comes to training a new skilled workforce, Michigan’s community colleges contribute big time.

In a workforce of more than 4 million people, Michigan will need about 400,000 new skilled workers by 2030 across a range of industries, from health care and manufacturing to education and data processing, according to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

Four-year degree programs help, of course, especially when it comes to the socalled knowledge jobs. But community colleges offer a quicker, less expensive, and sometimes more effective path to acquiring needed skills, for industries from health care to advanced manufacturing.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFER ADVANTAGES

Community colleges offer two advantages over four-year degree programs, said Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association.

With lower tuition costs than at four-year colleges, plus many new financial aid programs, community colleges are more accessible than ever.

Continued

"We've always been affordable. Now we're getting incredibly affordable," Johnson said.

And second, the 30 or so community colleges in Michigan operate autonomously, not under a broad umbrella organization, so each can react more nimbly to local needs.

“Community colleges are connected to their local employer communities and workforce development communities in a way that four-year institutions traditionally have not been,” said Sarah Szurpicki, director of the state’s Sixty by 30 office.

STATE OFFICE PURSUING ’60 BY 30’ GOAL ORIGINALLY SET BY CHAMBER

Over the past two years, the relatively new Sixty by 30 office has worked to increase the share of Michigan’s workforce with either a skills certificate or four-year degree from 49% to 60% by 2030. To reach that goal, which the state adopted after the Detroit Regional Chamber set the same one for the region, the Sixty by 30 office has created programs geared to community colleges and backed with state funding.

Futures for Frontliners is a scholarship for Michiganders who worked in essential industries during the COVID-19 shutdown in spring 2020. This provides frontline workers with tuition-free access to local community colleges for an associate degree or skills certificate.

Another program, Michigan Reconnect, is a scholarship that pays students to attend their in-district community college tuitionfree or offers a large tuition discount if they attend an out-of-district community college.

Szurpicki said that so far, some 45,000 students have taken advantage of the two programs, both of which the Chamber supported.

“It really did bring people back to community college or into community college for the first time,” she added.

POLICY CHANGES NEEDED TO UNLOCK FULL POTENTIAL

A couple of changes in public policy would help community colleges do even more.

First, many of the state’s community colleges need to upgrade their infrastructure, from HVAC systems to buying the latest technology used in industry.

“We want students to train on the same equipment they’ll be using in a job,” Johnson said.

With pandemic relief dollars available, there’s no better time to make those investments.

And second, state regulators could look at modifying professional certifications so that something other than a four-year degree is required for many careers.

HIRING THE ‘STARS’ TO FILL LABOR GAP

Thinking that only a four-year degree qualifies a candidate is what some call the “paper ceiling.”

The national nonprofit organization Opportunity@Work encourages employers

to consider the more than 70 million workers in the U.S. who are “Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs),” such as community college, rather than through a bachelor’s degree.

“While companies scramble to find talent amid perceived ‘skills gaps’ and ‘labor shortages,’ many of their job postings have needlessly excluded half of the workers in the country who don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but have the skills for higher-wage work,” said Opportunity@Work CEO Byron Auguste.

‘NOT DAUNTED,’ UPSKILLING IS WITHIN REACH

So the need is real. But with community colleges affordable and innovative, the goal of upskilling Michigan’s workforce is within reach.

“So, yes, it’s not easy,” said Szurpicki of the Sixty by 30 office. But, she added, “I don’t feel daunted!”

John Gallagher is a freelance writer and author in Detroit, and formerly of the Detroit Free Press.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS A QUICKER, LESS EXPENSIVE AND SOMETIMES A MORE EFFECTIVE PATH TO ACQUIRING THE NEEDED SKILLS, FOR INDUSTRIES FROM HEALTH CARE TO ADVANCED MANUFACTURING.

DILL: WCCCD’S CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The Design Center of Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD), the District’s innovation epicenter under the direction of Chancellor Curtis L. Ivery has a long history of innovation. In collaboration with employers and other community groups, the Digital and Immersive Learning Lab (DILL) at the Curtis L. Ivery Downtown Campus is a dedicated space for the exploration and implementation of cutting-edge virtual immersive technologies.

The lab is equipped with software and design platforms, multiple headset configurations, workstations, virtual tools, and digital technology resources to help students and our community members experiment and create innovations across a wide range of industries.

The DILL provides a digital learning environment for health science simulations, computer-aided design in architecture, and autonomous delivery systems development. The lab also provides a safe environment for simulated career exploration inside hospital emergency rooms, fire emergency scenarios, and other potentially dangerous situations.

Ashley Storai is the Dean at the Design Center, WCCCD.

REMOVING OBSTACLES TO SUCCESS

Lack of access to health care can derail a student’s academic journey and prevent them from graduating. That is why Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) is providing free telemedicine to its students and their dependents as part of their tuition. Students now have 24/7 access to medical and behavioral health care via SwiftMD’s telemedicine services.

SwiftMD is a state-of-the-art platform that provides virtual access to U.S. trained board-certified physicians and master level therapists via computer, phone, and smart phone app.

“By supplementing our campus support services with SwiftMD’s virtual visits, we will greatly expand access for students and their dependents, so they are not forced to choose between healthcare, including behavioral health care, and their education,” said WCCCD chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery.

SwiftMD’s online medical appointments allow students to eliminate costly urgent care visits to address general medical needs. Through SwiftMD, students can book virtual appointments for nonemergency medical care, receive diagnoses, treatment options, and have prescriptions sent to their preferred pharmacy.

CURTIS L. IVERY WCCCD CHANCELLOR

We must eliminate all barriers to success for our students and access to healthcare is a challenge for many students and families.”

A GAME CHANGER

DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER’S D3C3 SETS SIGHTS ON BOOSTING GRADUATION RATES

By Karen Dybis

Greg Handel, the chamber’s vice president of talent and education.

“This will ensure they’re aligned with demand and have the content to prepare people not just in theory but in practice to succeed,” Handel said.

PARTNERSHIPS KEY TO REACHING 60% ATTAINMENT BY 2030

The community college partners are Henry Ford College, Macomb Community College, Monroe County Community College, Oakland Community College, Schoolcraft College, Washtenaw Community College and Wayne County Community College District.

Apply the old adage, “There’s strength in numbers” to Southeast Michigan's Macomb, Oakland, Wayne counties, and it’s easy to see why the more than 65,000 students represented by the tri-county community colleges are so meaningful in the state’s efforts to boost collegiate graduation rates.

That is why the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3), a newly launched partnership with two key foundations and seven area community colleges, has such potential. This effort will not only change student lives, but will improve the economic future for everyone who calls this area home, said

THE PARTNERSHIP IS KNOWN AS

D3C3’s two foundation partners — the Ballmer Group and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation — have pledged to more than $20 million in initial funding to get the ball rolling. Planning has been fast and furious ever since the foundations’ support was first announced at the 2022 Mackinac Policy Conference, according to Handel.

“Ultimately, what we’re trying to do with is to harness state policy and investment in a way that sustains and scales these investments and improves outcomes,” Handel said.

The Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees has the overarching goal of increasing the region’s postsecondary attainment rate to 60% and cut the racial equity educational attainment gap by half. The state and Chamber want to hit that goal statewide by 2030, which requires programs like D3C3 to be successful.

'A GAME-CHANGER' FOR OUR ECONOMY

For Dave Egner, president and chief executive officer of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, community colleges are a winwin partner. Community colleges educate more than 50% of all college students in

MICHIGAN ATTAINMENT

MICHIGAN GOAL

60% education attainment by 2030

41.7% without short-term credentials 49.1% 2019 level

the United States, Egner said, and they are the first stop before transferring to a four-year institution or the place to earn a two-year associate degree.

Source: Lumina Foundation

the Ballmer Group Southeast Michigan, agreed. She said the Ballmer Group is excited to partner with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Chamber, and community colleges through D3C3.

DAVE EGNER PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RALPH C. WILSON JR. FOUNDATION

“While the number of certificate and credential programs offered has grown significantly in recent years, there is a tremendous opportunity through D3C3 to better ensure that job-focused education and training is designed and continually updated to meet the region’s labor market demand, in close partnership with local employers,” Egner said. “This type of regional collaboration can be a game- changer for our economy and lead to better career paths for adults and young adults looking for a highquality and good-paying job.”

Kayla

Roney Smith, portfolio manager for

“In Southeast Michigan, community colleges are critical to building smoother pathways from education to quality careers, given their close engagement with K-12 schools, local employers, and four-year university partners,” Roney Smith said. “If D3C3 is successful, we will see more students – especially those facing additional barriers to opportunity – graduating from college and starting in family-sustaining careers right here in Southeast Michigan.”

Karen Dybis is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.

There is tremendous opportunity through D3C3 to better ensure that job-focused education and training is designed and continually updated to meet the region’s labor market demand.”

Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s Dave Egner, Ballmer Group’s Kylee Mitchell Wells, LEO’s Kim Trent, Toyota’s Dante Boutell, and WCCCD’s Curtis Ivery discuss community colleges’ role in creating a more equitable economy at the 2022 Mackinac Policy Conference.

D3C3 IN ACTION

COMMUNITY COLLEGES ENGAGING EMPLOYERS IN NEW WAYS TO MEET TALENT NEEDS

Partners participating in the Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) are taking steps to improve employer engagement and create innovative new curriculum and programs that will better meet workforce needs. Here are just a few examples of work being done on collegelevel, systemic-level strategies aligned with D3C3 goals of improving student success and K-12 alignment, and creating employer-led sector pathways.

With the push to the next generation of electric vehicles, a new, complex talent mix is required to foster the industry. At the state level with WIN and Macomb Community College, an employer-led collaborative was formed, including automotive employers, educational and social service providers, and professional organizations, to build deeper levels of collaboration and to develop a thorough understanding of necessary skills sets that support a talent pipeline.

From this, the Electric Vehicle Jobs Academy Collaborative (EVJA) was born, working with industry to further a coordinated K-12 effort in career development, STEM events, and parent and student engagement. The EVJA led by Macomb has completed a comprehensive gap analysis of employer needs by occupation versus community college curriculum to inform of training development.

BEN CRUZ DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, MACOMB COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SCHOOLCRAFT CREATING TRAINING PROGRAMS TO MEET NEEDS OF INDUSTRY 4.0

Michigan has the most extensive network of autonomous vehicle and mobility testing infrastructure in the nation. The necessity for skilled employees is increasing and the training to prepare employees is specific, extensive, and rapidly changing. There is an immediate need for students to complete and successfully gain meaningful employment with family-supporting wages within this growing industry.

Schoolcraft will work closely with employers to develop relevant, flexible training programs that meet the needs of Industry 4.0, particularly related to mobility. Our strategy is to continue to provide relevant training that meets the requirements of our industry partners and meaningful employment in highwage, high-demand jobs for our students. Schoolcraft plans to use existing and evergrowing partnerships to continue to strengthen Michigan’s talent pipeline.

GLENN CERNY, PRESIDENT, SCHOOLCRAFT COLLEGE

OAKLAND'S TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION APPRENTICESHIPS

KEY TO NEXT GENERATION OF SKILLED TRADES

As a provider of technical instruction for U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship programs, OCC partners with many employers in various sectors from manufacturing to health care. Our programs are growing rapidly because it is a win for students, employers, and our economy by providing on-the-job learning, related instruction, and wage progression that results in a stable and diverse workforce with good-paying jobs.

OCC apprentices earn a U.S. DOL portable, nationally recognized registered apprenticeship certificate; a certificate from OCC; and are shown the academic pathway toward earning a two-year associate degree.

One of our partners, Williams International, indicated that having a DOL registered apprenticeship is important as it allows them the ability to impart years of knowledge onto the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

MONROE’S UNIFIED ACTION, TECH CENTER INCREASING EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

The number one predictor of a county's economic success lies in the talents of its workforce. Monroe County Community College (MCCC) is poised to stimulate economic growth in Monroe and our surrounding regions by expanding our skilled talent pool in high-need careers.

Thanks to D3C3 grant funds and data from National Institute for Student Success,

MCCC has developed a new initiative which will forge a foundation of county-and region-wide collaboration ensuring unified action as we seek to increase Monroe County educational attainment.

MCCC will be perfecting a Career and Technical HUB concept where high school students can earn credentials and certificates in our state-of-the-art Career Technology

Center while in high school for high-wage, high-need careers. Additionally, MCCC will reinvent the student advising process, working collaboratively with our high schools and business partners to support students and their families ensuring they develop clear pathways to their intended career fields.

SCOTT BEHRENS, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS, MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

JOSEPH PETROSKY, ASSOCIATE PROVOST OF ACADEMICS AND WORKFORCE, OAKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

INCREASING STUDENT SUCCESS

THROUGH DATA, TECHNOLOGY, AND PERSONALIZED ATTENTION

Few colleges have a better success story to tell than Georgia State University. With about 60% of students qualifying for federal Pell Grants and 80% non-white, the four-year university in Atlanta has bucked national trends over the past decade, dramatically boosting graduation rates and closing achievement gaps.

Through the National Institute for Student Success (NISS), Georgia State is helping colleges and universities across the country address institutional barriers to equity and college completion. It shows the schools how to increase capacity through technology

This year, the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative brought NISS to Detroit to work with local community colleges. As a result, six have completed a diagnostic assessment and received a detailed “play book” customized to their institution on how to improve retention and graduation rates, with an emphasis on under-represented student groups. Michigan community colleges will continue working with NISS through D3C3 to maximize and implement their individualized play books.

NISS founder and director Dr. Tim Renick recently interviewed with the Detroiter. This interview has been edited

DESCRIBE HOW GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY ACHIEVED ITS SUCCESS.

The Georgia State story is about how we can deliver personalized attention to students on a day-to-day basis and do it for a reasonable cost. And we've done it by leveraging new technologies – artificial

intelligence, data, and predictive analytics. And we're now able to notice when a student gets off track. Not six months after they get off track, but sometimes within a few hours, and reach out and get them back on track. We're delivering personalized attention to students at scale by leveraging new technology and data-based approaches. The effects have been transformative.

WHERE DID CORPORATE PARTNERS PLAY A KEY ROLE?

The corporations in the Atlanta area have helped us with that initial investment (that community colleges often lack the resources to make). It doesn't have to be for five or 10 years. It can be for two or three years to get us jump started, to the point where our numbers have increased. We're graduating 3,500 more students at Georgia State every year than we were 10 years ago. That’s 3,500 more students whose tuition was walking away from the university, now staying with us for multiple years and contributing to our fiscal health.

TIM RENICK NISS FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

The Georgia State story is about how we can deliver personalized attention to students on a day-to-day basis and do it for a reasonable cost.”

It's particularly important in Michigan because the demographics -- the number of high school graduates is going down. Michigan is a richly populated state with postsecondary institutions. If these institutions are going to survive, they're going to have to hold on to more of the students they enroll, rather than assuming they can just admit more students every year. That's also, what the Detroit and Michigan economy needs, because the state needs a higher percentage of skilled workers, a higher percentage of the population, especially from diverse backgrounds, who have bachelor’s degrees or associate degrees, or other sorts of quality post-secondary credentials. The two needs go hand in hand.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD BUSINESS UNDERSTAND ABOUT THEIR ROLE?

Understand for your own self-interest where you'll make the biggest difference. Those students who tend to be top 10 in their class and from wealthier families who go to Ann Arbor, they're going to be just fine once they graduate from college because they're going to have the connections and their parents were likely professionals and certainly college graduates. What's going to change the economy of the Detroit Metro area is taking students from families who currently aren't contributing in the same way to the economy and moving them into that space. That's where the community colleges are so critical.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

The students who go to these institutions will not likely complete all their post-secondary studies at that particular institution. And that's not necessarily a failing of community colleges. This is part of the reality of what higher ed is today, especially for low-income students who tend to be much more transient than their middle- and upper-income counterparts. They move around and switch institutions a lot more. So, we need to think of ways in which we can support students at this phase of their studies so that they can be successful.

James Martinez is editor of the Detroiter magazine and a content creation consultant.

By James Martinez

KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS

Reaching the goal of 60% educational attainment and cutting the racial equity educational attainment gap in half by 2030 is going to require concerted and coordinated efforts that create more pathways to two- and four-year degrees.

Learn4ward is just the type of innovative program that can make it possible. It allows students to begin their academic and career pathways at Henry Ford College (HFC), and if they maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75, seamlessly transfer to the University of Michigan-Dearborn as juniors with at least 60 credit hours.

Those who complete the guaranteedadmission program walk away with both an associate and bachelor’s degree within four to six years, thanks to the innovative new partnership announced between the two schools on Oct. 24.

“Every barrier that exists to a young person or adult to get that two-year or four-year degree needs to be addressed, and those barriers knocked down,” said Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber. “That is exactly what (Henry Ford College and UM-Dearborn) have done.”

Both schools are signees of the Chamber’s Detroit Regional Talent Compact, which is designed to drive collective impact and action. Launched in 2020, the compact’s vision is a Detroit with systems, policies, and resources that allow every resident to access and succeed in postsecondary education, leading to careers that fill the region’s talent needs.

“These are the kind of initiatives we’re encouraging through the Talent Compact,” said Greg Handel, vice president of talent and education at the Chamber. “The more colleges can create these

Photo credit Michigan Photography

innovative partnerships to advance student achievement and increase access to two- and four-year degrees, the closer we’ll get to realizing our attainment goals as a region and state.”“Learn4ward is a great example of bringing together the best of Michigan community colleges and universities to support student success,” said HFC President Russell Kavalhuna.

The program leverages the many opportunities, synergies, and benefits available to students on HFC and UMDearborn’s adjacent campuses, including facilities and student services. Through the program, students will have access to many resources and activities at UMDearborn while enrolled at HFC.

While students may take up to 6 years (3 at HFC and 3 at UM-Dearborn) to complete the Learn4ward program, both institutions will encourage and support students to complete their degrees more rapidly by studying full-time.

James Martinez is editor of the Detroiter magazineandacontentcreationconsultant.

Some benefits of the Learn4ward program to students include:

Seamless, guided degree plans that will eliminate unnecessary classes, minimizing tuition costs.

Free or low tuition with a three-year tuition freeze at HFC limiting initial costs.

Special scholarship opportunities for transfer students that reduce costs at UM-Dearborn, with some qualifying for free tuition.

By providing additional wraparound support and a seamless, laser-focused path to a Michigan degree, we are preparing students to graduate on time into good-paying jobs while supporting our state’s vital workforce goals and for many students, helping to change the trajectory of their lives. ”

DOMENICO GRASSO

UM-DEARBORN CHANCELLOR

HIGH-VALUE CREDENTIALS AND ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHWAYS WILL REBUILD DETROIT’S WORKFORCE

BY TIM DUPREE

In today’s competitive labor market, employers must take a skillsbased approach to talent management. Continuous learning that takes place on the job is critical to developing and retaining talent that drives innovation and growth. Companies must clearly define the skills they need within their workforce and build development programs around these competencies.

At Kelly, we’ve found these opportunities are a difference maker when it comes to attracting qualified and motivated talent. More than 80% of our contingent workers told us they consider job training and career advancement opportunities when evaluating a new position. But only about half of employers offer skills training or development programs, according to a SHRM survey, and contingent workers, who represent an estimated 40% of the U.S. workforce, are often excluded from these opportunities.

It’s no secret that across the country and here in Southeast Michigan employers are feeling the effects of the talent shortage and a widening skills gap. The structural issues that gave rise to this challenge existed well before the pandemic but have accelerated since: an aging workforce, inequitable access to careers, and fewer adults enrolling in education beyond high school. These issues have been further complicated by a labor force participation rate that continues to hover near historic lows.

Rebuilding and strengthening our talent pipeline requires expanding access to training and upskilling opportunities that align with the needs of employers and help workers acquire transferable skills.

We don’t have time to waste. We’re now at a critical juncture in the labor market with employers in desperate need of a highly skilled workforce and workers needing new skills to grow their careers.

EMPLOYERS MUST TAKE SKILLS-BASED APPROACH

To help both employers and job seekers thrive, we must abandon the outdated notion that a four-year degree is the only pathway to success. While higher education is a driver for prosperity, we should not undervalue alternative credentials and onthe-job experience. We can reduce equity and skills gaps by improving access to two-year degrees, industry certifications, and apprenticeships, and we can solve talent attraction challenges by removing outdated degree requirements.

UPSKILLING AND TRAINING ARE PRIORITIES AT KELLY

That’s why we launched the Kelly Certification Institute, which offers programs to upskill and retrain workers. We’ve developed an apprenticeship program that combines on-the-job-learning with technical education and connects companies with industrial talent looking to grow their careers. We also offer training and certifications to contingent workers interested in scientific and clinical positions and connect them with clients in need of highly specialized workers. We’ve issued more than 1,750 certifications to date.

In addition, we’ve launched a GED academy to help talent pass state exams, and are collaborating with clients like ICU Medical who have dropped high school diploma requirements for these candidates so they can earn a living while obtaining their GED. We’re also partnering with Google on career certificates and have joined the Detroit Apprenticeship Network to develop best practices.

We do these things because our clients demand creative solutions to tackle the talent shortage and because we know that access to alternative, high-value credentials can change lives. Investing in alternative pathways and credentials of value identified by the Detroit Regional Chamber will not only close the skills gap and make employers in Southeast Michigan more competitive, it will improve social and economic mobility throughout the region.

Tim Dupree is president of Kelly Professional and Industrial.

97 Credentials of Value

DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER HELPING BETTER ALIGN POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIALS WITH CAREERS

GOALS

CREATE CLARITY AROUND WAGE LEVELS AND CREDENTIALS

that best position workers to seek jobs to support themselves and a family.

ALIGN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

with labor market needs as the foundation for future workforce strategy.

EXPAND ACCESS TO AND SUCCESS WITHIN CAREER PATHWAYS that lead all residents, but especially those of color and those experiencing poverty, to good jobs.

2-YEAR

VS

Working with Education Strategy Group, the Chamber’s education and talent team has identified 97 “credentials of value” that align with careers that are high-demand, high-growth, and pay family sustaining wages in the Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. 4-YEAR

This latest research reaffirms that the clearest path to economic mobility is a bachelor’s degree. However, this data importantly identifies shorter-term credential opportunities that still have a strong economic return for those who may not have the time or resources to pursue a fouryear degree. Such pathways are often created by pursuing two-year degrees and skills certificates through programs such as Michigan Reconnect.

GREG HANDEL VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION AND TALENT DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER

A robust education system with credentials that are aligned with workforce demands leads to a stronger, more equitable society that increases economic and social mobility for all.”

GAINING FAME

TOYOTA'S INNOVATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM COMING TO WASHTENAW COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By John Gallagher

Manufacturers today are eager, even desperate, to hire skilled technicians to keep their factories humming. As Dante Boutell, vice president, Powertrain Design Division of Toyota North America, told the Mackinac Policy Conference earlier this year, “There’s a big gap” between the need and the supply of workers. “There’s a big pipeline crunch right now.”

To help fill that gap, one of the more innovative training programs is coming to Washtenaw Community College in Fall 2023.

Known as FAME, an acronym for the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, it is a program Toyota created internally about 20 years ago but recently began to expand to include Tier 1 suppliers and others in a broader network.

Partnering with a local economic development agency and a community college, the program offers a five semester work-study training regimen that results in an associate degree as an advanced manufacturing technician.

There currently are about two dozen FAME chapters around the country, mostly in the nation’s industrial heartland. For the local chapter, Washtenaw Community College will partner with the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association and companies like Toyota. Training consists of three days of work and two days of classroom training. Recent high school graduates make up about 80% of those in the program, with veterans and incumbent workers making up the rest.

The emphasis is on training to create multi-skilled technicians, workers who can address any number of tasks for a manufacturer and not just one. With work experience and an associate degree in hand, many graduates of the FAME program can go on to early a bachelor’s degree to advance their careers.

TONY DAVIS

NATIONAL DIRECTOR FAME USA

Tony Davis, national director for FAME USA, an arm of the National Association of Manufacturers that manages the program, told a conference at the Suburban Collection in Novi earlier this year that graduates can earn $55,000 upon graduation working for companies like Toyota. That’s not bad for a recent high school grad who may get an associate degree while no more than 21 years of age or so.

'IT IS DIFFERENT AND IT WORKS'

“They are not all professionals on day one,” Davis said of the program’s participants. “But if they put all the elements together, they are global-best, entry level multi-skilled technicians when they come out of this program. It is different and it works.”

A SKILLED WORKFORCE ISN'T ONLY FOURYEAR DEGREES

By providing formal training and an associate degree, the FAME program aims to create a skilled workforce and overcome the notion that only a four-year degree is needed. “There’s still that thinking where we need a degree,” Boutell said at the Mackinac Policy Conference this year. “We have people who are very sharp and talented that have two years of college.”

With about 15 to 20 students in each class of recruits, the program here will soon be producing the kind of well-paid, skilled technicians that manufacturers are looking for.

“We’re glad to see FAME taking shape in Michigan and providing another tool to help manufacturers of all sizes be even more competitive in an already strong manufacturing state,” said Davis.

John Gallagher is a freelance writer and author in Detroit, and formerly of the Detroit Free Press.

A SCALABLE SOLUTION

By Tom Walsh

NEW INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CONNECTS STUDENTS TO CAREERS IN FINANCE

internships. Participants in the new Year Up Detroit program will be aged 18 to 29 and a high school graduate or GED, but will not have obtained a bachelor’s degree.

CREATING CAREER PATHWAYS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS

Barry Mullan, a Chicago-based Bank of America senior vice-president, said the bank has hosted more than 1,800 Year Up interns since 2006 and went on to hire more than 70% of them.

“We just recently were made aware that Detroit was an area where Year Up was looking to explore,” said Mullan, who will lead the launch of Bank of America’s partnership with Year Up in Detroit. “It’s an extension of what our company has committed to in terms of hiring folks from low- and moderate-income communities.”

At Bank of America, interns in the Year Up partnership program would typically begin as relationship bankers.

Detroit will soon be the launching pad for a unique new partnership program to place dozens – and eventually hundreds – of young minority students in career-track internships for financial services jobs.

Starting in February, the key partners – Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Henry Ford College and the nonprofit Year Up workforce development organization will begin accepting applications for the internships that begin in late March.

The Detroit Regional Chamber reached out earlier this year to bring the banks, community college and Year Up together as part of its campaign to help boost Michigan’s highly skilled talent and drive future economic growth.

Elisha Gilliam, managing director of scalable solutions at Boston-based Year Up, spoke on a panel in Detroit in April with Bank of America Michigan President Matt

Elliott during Chamber’s “State of Talent” forum. Soon after, the Chamber connected Year Up with Henry Ford College, Gilliam said, “to think about how can Year Up come to Detroit?”

Nationally, Year Up, founded in 2000, provides young adults from underserved communities with six months of career readiness and business skills training followed by six-month internships, which typically lead to job opportunities.

With Henry Ford and the Chamber as partners, Gilliam said, “we didn’t feel like we needed to come to Detroit full-scale; it could be a shorter three-month program because we’re recruiting from the community college students that are near completion or receiving their credential.”

The Detroit pilot program will begin with 30 students, split between the two employers where the students will be placed for

“We don’t necessarily hire for what the teller role was in the past as an entry level,” Mullan said. “The entry-level relationship banker is usually somebody who engages with clients in the lobby with iPads and digital technology. They can also work behind the teller line, and with additional training they can end up sitting with clients at a platform or a banker desk and have conversations with the client.”

EXPANSION TO HEALTH CARE AND AUTOMOTIVE TECH

Aadil Sulaiman, who will lead Year Up’s strategic launch in Detroit, said the initial goal is to focus on consumer banking internships, with future expansion possible in health care and automotive technology.

An aspirational goal, he said, would be to potentially serve up to 150 participants in 2024.

Cassandra Myers, workforce development program manager at Henry Ford College, said, “We want to connect our students to opportunities in banking where we see pathways to the companies, the great employers in our area, and this is one of our techniques.”

Tom Walsh is a former Detroit Free Press business editor and columnist.

Bank of America’s Matt Elliott speaks at the Chamber’s State of Talent event along with moderator and journalist Kelley Root, Kelly’s Tim Dupree, and Year Up’s Elisha Gilliam.

ENERGIZING MICHIGAN’S FUTURE

In our increasingly electrified society, that’s where a resilient grid matters most. ITC is working every day across the state to modernize our vitally important electric grid. That means safe, secure, reliable electricity to power our energy future.

At ITC, we’re always working for the greater grid. Learn more at www.itc-holdings.com.

EMPLOYER-LED TALENT SOLUTIONS

APPRENTICESHIPS, CAREER LADDERS, AND BUILDING A

CULTURE OF LEARNING

By James Martinez

Employers that develop their own talent solutions not only nurture the highly skilled and specialized talent to help them compete, they play a key role in increasing postsecondary attainment to 60% and cutting the racial equity educational attainment gap in half by 2030. Many employers are already stepping up in support of Chamber initiatives such as Detroit Drives Degrees and the Detroit Regional Talent Compact.

James Martinez is editor of the Detroiter magazine and a content creation consultant.

IDENTIFYING ‘UNTAPPED TALENT’ AND THE EARN AND LEARN MODEL

Since launching its apprenticeship program in 2016, Accenture has brought on more than 2,000 apprentices in 40 cities across North America. In fact, in 2022, it reached its goal of hiring 20% of its entry-level positions in North America directly from its own apprenticeships.

Accenture’s apprenticeship program is an “earn and learn” model that provides apprentices with market competitive wages and benefits, and a pathway to an ongoing career with the company. The apprenticeships typically last 12 months and include formal learning, on-the-job training and coaching to help apprentices build their skills and advance their careers.

The program takes into account candidates’ different backgrounds and life experiences and is racially and ethnically diverse, with nearly half being women.

The apprenticeships are prime avenues to bring in talented individuals who may not have a four-year degree. Apprentices at Accenture work across a variety of areas within Accenture and fill many indemand roles in cybersecurity, digital, data analytics and cloud migration.

CREATING A CULTURE OF LEARNING, CAREER ADVANCEMENT

As the competition for top tier talent wages on, longtime Detroit law firm Butzel Long focuses on building a culture of learning designed to help its lawyers stay at the forefront of their field while giving ambitious employees a way to advance up the company ranks.

“We've had people start here as legal assistants and work their way up to paralegal, work their way up to lawyer by going to school while they're working for us,” said Paul Mersino, a shareholder and member of board of directors at Butzel.

Butzel’s initiatives include student debt reimbursement, flex scheduling that allow for night classes, monthly professional development lunch and learns, and a fulltime onsite trainer that guides employees seeking additional certifications and professional development.

“People are growing as attorneys, as people, as citizens in our community, and it’s all intertwined,” he added.

BUILDING TALENT TO BUILD THE ROADS

For Ajax Paving Industries, the largest asphalt and concrete paving public contractor in Southeast Michigan, internships and multi-year apprenticeships are critical to fielding the laborers, operating engineers, and cement masons it needs to build highways.

Ajax’s internship program partners with local high schools to connect with students taking skilled construction or trade-based classes offering them paid positions during peak construction season between May and August. It allows students to rotate between divisions as they are transitioning out of high school to college or directly into a career.

Ajax also provides paths four- or five-year apprenticeships that help employees earn critical industry-specific certifications such as their CDL or lab tech or heavy equipment credentials, allowing them to advance their career while working.

PROMOTING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Across its 11 Southeast Michigan locations, Emagine Entertainment employs about a 1,000 people, most of whom are students in high school or early years of college, giving it the opportunity to play a key role in helping younger students pursue postsecondary credentials.

The company is rolling out its “Emagine Pays for Good Grades” program, which rewards employees who maintain a 3.25 GPA with an annual bonus for their academic performance. Emagine developed the program as part of its participation in the Chamber’s Detroit Regional Talent Compact.

“This is a good incentivizing method to get people into the whole idea of learning and furthering their education and their careers,” said Shelby Langenstein, CPO of Emagine, who noted the company’s broader initiatives to promote a culture of learning also include tuition reimbursement and internships.

PAM

REMOVING BARRIERS THROUGH CUSTOMIZED APPRENTICESHIPS

Kelly uniquely sits at the intersection of job seekers and companies looking for talent. They’ve developed a customized apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor that is creating a direct path between students at Oakland Community College and careers with its clients.

“Community colleges are an incredible partner because they’re plugged into the insights and resources needed to put together a good apprenticeship program,” said Pam Sands, Kelly’s vice president of partnerships. Since its 2021 launch, 118 apprentices have completed the program, which serves specific disciplines like CNC machining and other manufacturing roles.

“Many times you have programs that are run out of educational facilities, and they do a phenomenal job, but you need that business voice in the conversation,” Sands said.

Customized apprenticeships are helpful in removing barriers to employment for individuals whose life circumstances prevented them from earning postsecondary education, but can help them secure better paying, meaningful work after earning certifications.

ADDING DETROIT ‘ROCK’ STARS THROUGH INTERNSHIPS

As senior university relations manager for Rocket Companies, Jade Ortiz is looking for “Rock Stars” for a variety of internships that offer career pathways.

“You can see students’ eyes get really bright when they see the vast amount of opportunities we have,” said Ortiz. She guides students to recruiters serving the various brands that make up Rocket Companies, which annually hires about 500 interns in roles ranging from marketing to sales to business operations.

The eight- to twelve-week paid summer internship program engages highly talented students from colleges and universities across the country. The company also welcomes those from programs such as the Detroit Promise Scholarship, Give Merit, and Midnight Golf - which all help increase access to postsecondary education and careers for underserved Detroiters.

USING CAREER LADDERS AND PREAPPRENTICESHIPS TO BUILD TALENT PIPELINE

Henry Ford Health (HFH), which employs about 33,000, proactively looks within to fill mission critical roles while embracing opportunities to grow its talent pipeline and workforce for the future.

The health system uses career ladders for current employees at entry level positions who are interested in advancing their careers to fill critical positions within the health system, according to Kathy Macki, HFH’s vice president of human resources.

Those efforts include providing scholarships and career guidance for medical assistants looking to earn their nursing degrees. Similarly it includes expanding tuition reimbursement beyond degrees to include certifications allows current staff to pursue specialties like radiology and fill additional openings.

Certified by the U.S. Department of Labor, HFH also partners with local high schools offering a five-year pre-apprenticeship program where students graduate with both a high school diploma and associate degree in allied health, with many hiring on with HFH where they can further advance their careers and education.

Many times you have programs that are run out of educational facilities, and they do a phenomenal job, but you need that business voice in the conversation.”

SANDS VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTNERSHIPS, KELLY

ADVOCACY & EDUCATION

DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER

SUPPORTS POLICY TO BUILD FUTURE WORKFORCE

One of the most impactful ways business can support workforce development is through advocacy at all levels of government. With one of the most respected advocacy teams in Michigan, the Chamber has a long history of supporting bipartisan policy that improves educational outcomes and increases access to education. It is actively supporting legislation and appropriations that contribute to reaching 60% postsecondary educational attainment, and reducing the racial equity educational attainment gap by half by 2030.

Announced in July, the fiscal year 2023 state budget includes $110 million to fund two Chamber-backed programs, including Michigan Reconnect, which as of late July had put more than 100,000 Michiganders on a tuition-free pathway to higher education and skills training, according to the governor. It also funds Going Pro, which helps small businesses develop in-house talent and fill highskilled good-paying job openings.

Mott Community College Reconnectors Kai Washington (right) and Jennifer Cronkright (left) with Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II.

SANDY K. BARUAH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER

CHAMBER’S TOP EDUCATION AND TALENT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

This legislation aims to make college more affordable to families while growing the state’s workforce and helping achieve the 60% educational attainment by 2030 goal. Through the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, students will be eligible for more financial aid from the State starting with the high school class of 2023. These annual scholarships are renewable for up to three years at a community college and up to five years at a private college or public university.

• Implement Launch Michigan K-12 reform recommendations (upon agreement).

• Partner with state on policies that contribute to the Chamber’s goal to achieve 60% postsecondary educational attainment and reduce the racial equity gap in education by half by 2030.

In February 2021, the governor joined Republican and Democratic lawmakers to launch $30 million Michigan Reconnect the largest effort in state history to ensure that more than 4.1 million Michiganders who are 25 or older and do not have a college degree will have an opportunity to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate. The Detroit Regional Chamber helped advocate for the launch of Michigan Reconnect, which is aligned with Detroit Reconnect.

• Secure state support to ease the financial burden of accessing postsecondary education and accountability measures to improve college graduation rates.

• Establish programs with proven track records to increase college completion in traditional students and adults.

Since 2013, the Detroit Promise scholarship has served over 5,000 students from over 50 schools in Detroit. The program, administered by the Chamber, has more than 1,500 students from the class of 2023 registered.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHAMBER’S ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND COMMITTEES AT detroitchamber.com/advocacy

Employers are crying out for talent and investing in programs that have proven records of success like Reconnect and Going Pro will help employers fill urgent talent gaps.”

EMPLOYERS CAN BUILD WORKFORCE THROUGH CHAMBER EDUCATION AND TALENT PORTFOLIO

By Meghan Schmidbauer

The economic prosperity of the region is driven by the businesses in our communities – and securing top talent is the most critical factor in those businesses’ success. Without a skilled workforce, productivity, quality, and profits suffer.

Additionally, a skilled workforce leads to cost savings. Companies actualize talent recruitment and training savings with less turnover and increased retention.

Whether attracting new business or upskilling current employees in the region, the Detroit Regional Chamber has Michigan’s most robuts portfolio of programs and initiatives ready to strengthen the talent pipeline and continue to build the future workforce.

Meghan Schmidbauer is director of student success and postsecondary partnerships for the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees initiative.

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Workforce Policy

SEVEN WAYS FOR EMPLOYERS

SUPPORT DETROIT PROMISE STUDENTS THROUGH INTERNSHIPS

The Detroit Promise is a last-dollar scholarship that provides a tuition-free opportunity for Detroit students to earn an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or technical certificate. Businesses have succeeded in hosting Promise students through internships. Additionally, companies can strengthen partnerships between colleges and create unique career opportunities for Detroiters upon graduation.

PARTNER WITH HIGHER EDUCATION TO CREATE A CUSTOM TRAINING ROADMAP

The region's institutions of higher education stand ready to provide training and instruction to upskill and educate the future workforce. It takes collaboration and ingenuity, but there is opportunity for customization with the diverse postsecondary providers in the area. The Chamber works as an intermediary to connect education and industry to help generate dialogue to create a custom training roadmap.

DETROIT REGIONAL TALENT COMPACT

JOIN THE DETROIT REGIONAL COMPACT’S WORK TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Unveiled in October 2020, the Detroit Regional Talent Compact set the blueprint to increase educational attainment to 60% and decrease the racial equity educational attainment gap by half by 2030. The Talent Compact serves as the vehicle to drive change and convene the region's players to implement initiatives and strategies to reach these goals. Businesses that participate lend their voices and ingenuity alongside over 40 stakeholders representing education, government, nonprofits, and philanthropy.

HOST A DISCOVER AUTO TOUR AND EXPOSE STUDENTS TO EXCITING AUTOMOTIVE CAREERS

Discover Auto, a talent attraction program led by MICHauto in partnership with Square One and Project Lead the Way, connects Michigan high school students with automotive and mobility companies to learn about exciting, high-tech careers. Presentations by industry experts educate students on the industry and promote its diverse career options. Participating companies have the opportunity to expose students to their workforce and future careers.

PROMOTE THE REGION TO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS VIA LET'S DETROIT

The Chamber created Let’s Detroit to increase retention of graduates while helping engage those who wish to return or move to the Detroit region. Business can leverage Let’s Detroit online platform when recruiting talent or have their employees serve as ambassadors in the “Ask a Detroiter” initiative, which promotes the region and their company to young professionals around the country.

HELP ALIGN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WITH CREDENTIALS OF IMMEDIATE VALUE

The Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) is a cross-sector collaborative that elevates community colleges' role by working toward regional talent pipeline transformation in Southeast Michigan. There is a need for industry participation to align academic programs to credentials of immediate value, ensuring graduates are ready for in-demand jobs.

PUT THE CHAMBER’S EMPLOYER TOOLKIT TO WORK FOR YOU

The Chamber has created several tools to help organizations understand the benefits of upskilling and developing talent. Its online toolkit is one instrument in an arsenal of available learning opportunities to assist companies in creating a learning culture for staff, including tuition assistance policies and internship opportunities. Businesses should contact the Chamber to discuss custom one-onone assistance and support options.

By Anjelica Dudek-Miller

Shantoya Smith of Detroit is unapologetic about her weaknesses and strengths. Her largest self-admitted weakness had been time management, which was the culprit of her slipping Wayne State University grades and her overall disinterest in completing her degree.

"I've been on my own for forever, and I was really bad at time management,” said Smith, 39. “Being bad at something like that affects you more than anything else. Even if you have the money to attend college, you will fail a lot if you can't balance it all. And that's what happened to me."

However, she quickly learned some strengths, such as thriving in a flexible schedule and applying life experiences, including her work as an adult entertainer.

While most might not mention something some might consider taboo, Smith leans into it, recognizing what the industry has given to her, like being able to provide for herself and unlocking her interest in business and marketing.

"I don't see it as a bad thing. It allowed me a lot of opportunities, like being able to live and pay for things," she said.

DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER SUPPORT KEY TO REIGNITING EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY

Just before the pandemic, Michelle Cyrus, director of adult college completion for the Detroit Regional Chamber, connected with Smith, who "never thought about going back to college.” It took a year for Cyrus to convince Smith to return to school through the Chamber’s Detroit Reconnect program.

Smith said she reignited her higher education journey because of Cyrus's commitment and assistance with the "little things." For Smith, it was arranging a first-year grant to eliminate her existing debt from Wayne State and being a "monumental" support system to help with time management.

Smith is just one of the dozens of prospects Cyrus has personally helped receive this "critically important" personalized support and advising services. "Not only does it increase knowledge, but higher education also increases individual and multi-generational wealth," said Cyrus, who also began her higher education journey later in life. "Higher education allows the talent pool to grow in Michigan, thus, the driving force to keep the state's economy running well."

"The work that the Chamber does at the front lines, creating pathways for students to succeed and creating talent for employers, gives us advocates the credibility we need to deliver the message to policymakers that these investments pay off," said Brad Williams, the Chamber's vice president of government relations.

Thanks to advocates like the Chamber, Michigan Reconnect, a bipartisan-supported, statewide version of Detroit Reconnect, launched in February 2021 to expand support to adults across the state who are returning to or starting higher education for the first time.

FULL STEAM AHEAD TO A BACHELOR’S DEGREE

Today, Smith is nearly finished with a digital marketing certificate on top of her existing associate degrees in business and marketing from Macomb Community College.

"Nervous and excited," she is full steam ahead to the University of Michigan-Flint to complete a Bachelor of Arts. In five years, Smith envisions making her own hours as a digital marketing entrepreneur and Detroit real estate investor.

Smith credits Detroit Reconnect for being where she is now and where she plans to be.

Anjelica Dudek-Miller is communications manager at the Detroit Regional Chamber.

There are some people who don't necessarily see the value in education because of how far it may be from their reach. But that's the great thing about (Detroit) Reconnect. It makes it a little less difficult for some people to get back up and try again. It's bridging that gap for lower- and middleclass people.”

A DEAL-MAKER’S

CONGRESSMAN FRED UPTON STEPS AWAY AFTER A STORIED CAREER

By Rick Pluta

This would seem to be a moment built for Congressman Fred Upton, a center-right Republican who’s represented southwest Michigan for a solid three decades. Over that time, Upton’s built a reputation as an affable colleague and an effective dealmaker, especially the period from 2011 to 2016 when he chaired the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

The coming congressional session and just a handful of seats separating the House majority from the House minority would seem ideal for a skilled political broker.

But Upton is calling it quits. His district evaporated with new lines drawn after Michigan lost a seat in Congress.

“I would like to stay,” he said. “I would like to stay and be part of it … but that wasn’t in my hands.”

Photo credit: United States Congress

A LEGACY OF BIPARTISAN PROBLEM SOLVING

Part of Upton’s legacy that will outlast him is the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. He’s a founding member.

It’s an unusual congressional club in an intrinsically partisan institution where majority rules. An equal number of Republicans and Democrats. No working to defeat another caucus member of either party – no fundraising or campaigning for that purpose.

The rules are conversation, collegiality and weekly meetings to work through sticky issues where win-win results can be tough to find.

“So if you have 50 members of the Problem Solvers Caucus committed to a certain issue where we can work together on what’s likely to be commonsense, bipartisan legislation, guess what? It’s going to pass,” he said.

FDA APPROVAL BILLS PROVE PIVOTAL DURING COVID

Upton said he’s most proud of pushing through legislation to clear a swifter path for FDA approval of some drugs. The pharmaceutical industry has a big footprint in his district. Upton said that 2016 legislation was prescient because it saved precious months during the COVID-19 crisis to get Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from laboratories to the factory and from the factory to clinics and vaccination sites. “It would have happened maybe eight or 10 months later, so we saved literally hundreds of thousands of Americans, millions around the world,” he said.

‘HERE TO DO HIS JOB’ AND AVOID CONTROVERSY

Upton’s a policy nerd who’s tried to avoid DC’s more incendiary controversies. That reticence

may have helped in a district that tipped for Donald Trump by 51-47 percent in 2020.

“There are voters for whom screaming and shouting and drama are what motivates them but there are an awful lot of voters who just want you to do your job,” said Charles Ballard, a recently retired Michigan State University professor whose work has focused on the nexus of politics and the economy. “And I think Fred Upton, to his credit, is one of those guys who thought, I’m just here to do a job.”

Before serving as an elected member of the House, Upton was a staffer for Michigan Congressman David Stockman.

Upton went on to unseat three-term Congressman Mark Siljander, an oftencontroversial conservative culture warrior, in the 1986 Republican primary by a solid 55% to 45%. He was the only primary challenger to unseat a GOP incumbent in that cycle. He was re-elected 13 times.

Upton – who voted to vote to impeach President Bill Clinton in 1998 -- is one of 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of the second Trump articles of impeachment related to the January 6th assault on the US Capitol. He said the GOP’s continued thrall of Trump cost the party seats in the November elections.

“The focus of a number of my colleagues wasn’t really on the economy or on energy prices or the things people really care about,” he said. “They got off on some different issues and, frankly, Donald Trump hurt us as well.”

Rick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He has been covering Michigan’s Capitol, government, and politics since 1987.

SENATOR DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MICHIGAN)

“As the senior Republican in our Michigan delegation, Fred has been a strong partner in working together on important issues for our state – from the protection of our Great Lakes to strengthening Michigan’s military installations. I wish him the best as he retires and know he looks forward to spending more time with his family and grandkids.”

REP. DEBBIE DINGELL (D-MI 12)

“Fred is one of my best friends, and I will miss him very much. More importantly, it’s a loss for Michigan.”

SANDY BARUAH, PRESIDENT AND

EXECUTIVE

CHIEF

OFFICER,

DETROIT REGIONAL CHAMBER

“It’s the end of an era. In all his public service, Fred has brought practical, effective, and costconscious solutions to the table and has done it with the utmost professionalism, civility, and in a bipartisan spirit. He’s been willing to stand against party orthodoxy when core American and Michigan values were at stake. Fred’s model of public service is getting far too rare.”

FORMER REP. BART STUPAK, (R-MI 1)

“Fred Upton is one of the most decent human beings that you should all have the pleasure of knowing. Congressman Upton tried to find common ground between the two parties because he is not a partisan, but a practical, logical and thoughtful Congressman. Unfortunately, as Fred retires, we have fewer members of Congress who are willing to work together and put our nation and Michigan first!”

Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah leads a discussion about civility with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congressman Fred Upton at the Mackinac Policy Conference.

By James Martinez

2023 DETROIT POLICY CONFERENCE EXAMINES NEXT PHASE OF RESURGENCE

Learn more at DetroitChamber.com

The future of downtowns across the country remains a hot topic as civic and business leaders navigate a post-pandemic environment unlike anything in their lifetimes.

In Detroit, like cities around the world, leaders are reimagining public spaces, office and residential use, and the functionality of downtown business districts. Those topics and many others will take center stage at the Detroit Policy Conference on Jan. 10.

“Detroit’s resurgence has been one of the greatest success stories of the past decade, but the pandemic has brought on new challenges and dynamics no one would have predicted a few years ago,” said Devon O’Reilly, the Chamber’s senior director of community engagement and leadership development who oversees planning of the event. “The 2023 Detroit Policy Conference will look at continued revitalization efforts underway and the critical decisions ahead to keep that momentum going.”

Renowned urbanist and co-founder of Creative Class Group Richard Florida will set the backdrop for the day sharing his insight on the future of cities. In his keynote at the 2021 Mackinac Policy Conference, Florida called the central business district “the last relic of the industrial age” as cities adapt to “remote working ecosystems.”

The Downtown Detroit Partnership’s Chief Executive Officer Eric Larson will then help localize Florida’s framework through a keynote on work occurring downtown.

“We are going to start the day by looking at the national landscape and trends, and then translate what that means on the ground downtown as we work together to build a more equitable and prosperous city,” O’Reilly said.

Following Florida and Larson, speakers and panelists from the Grand Prix’s Bud Denker to Huntington National Bank’s Gary Torgow to Strategic Staff Solutions’ Cindy Pasky to Queen Lillian’s Christopher Jackson will provide their perspectives on the future of everything from events to the return to office work to development downtown.

The event has more than 30 sponsors and will be held at MotorCity Casino Hotel, which is the presenting sponsor.

James Martinez is editor of the Detroiter magazine and a content creation consultant.

Charity Dean President and Chief Executive Officer, Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance

Dennis W. Archer Jr. Founder and Chairman, sixteen42 ventures

Antoine Bryant Director, Planning and Development, City of Detroit

Jason Hall Founder, RiDetroit

Cindy Pasky President and Chief Executive Officer, Strategic Staffing Solutions

Gary Torgow Chairman, Board of Directors, Huntington National Bank

Bud Denker President, Penske Corporation

CHRISTOPHER JACKSON PRINCIPAL, QUEEN LILLIAN

Eric B. Larson Chief Executive Officer, Downtown Detroit Partnership

Melanie Markowicz Executive Director, Greektown Neighborhood Partnership

KOFI BONNER chief executive officer, bedrock llc

larry brinker jr. chief executive officer, brinker group

Richard Florida Co-Founder, Creative Class Group

CLAUDE MOLINARI PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, VISIT DETROIT

RHONDA WALKER MORNING ANCHOR, WDIV-TV 4, NBC

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American Society of Employers (ASE) announced the honorees for its Michigan HR Executive of the Year award for 2022. The honorees, who are recognized for their admirable work that distinguishes them in the field of Human Resource Management, received their awards at ASE’s Annual Sumit on Nov 3.

AssuredPartners of Michigan welcomed two new sales executives to its Southfield employee benefits office in October. Travis Sinclair joins the agency with more than nine years of benefits industry experience, and Zachary Wish joins the agency with more than 21 years of management and operating experience.

Butzel Long is pleased to announce that it has received national recognition in the 2023 “Best Law Firms” rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®. Firms included in the list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.

The City of Dearborn hosted its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center on November 21 to celebrate the holiday season. The longstanding tradition included sweet treats, a sing-along, festive entertainment, and visits with Santa.

Dickinson Wright PLLC recently announced that it has been named a Compass Award winner by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). The award recognizes law firms and corporations who show a strong commitment to building more diverse organizations and a more inclusive legal profession.

Dykema Gossett PLLC is pleased to share that the firm has named Sherrie L. Farrell as its Chief Diversity Officer. Farrell, who joined Dykema as a summer associate in 1996, has held several key leadership positions with the firm and will step into her new role on January 1, 2023.

Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC welcomed associate Toi J. Thomas to the firm’s Southfield office as a member of its general litigation practice group. Thomas joins Foster Swift as a lateral hire, previously having been in private practice since 2018.

Paul Zafarana, Co-founder of Pica Marketing Group, was recently inducted into Michigan Promotional Professionals Association’s (MiPPA) 2022 Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame honorees serve as ambassadors who prosper and nurture the growth of the promotional products industry throughout the state, region, and nation.

ALFA International (ALFAI), one of the world’s leading law firm referral networks, selected Plunkett Cooney as its “2022 Law Firm of the Year.” The award recognizes a firm that has been particularly instrumental in the evolution of ALFAI throughout the year.

20 attorneys from the Detroit, Macomb County, and Bloomfield Hills offices of Warner Norcross + Judd LLP have been selected as a “2023 Top Lawyer” by DBusiness Magazine. A lawyer’s inclusion in the list is based on peer ratings of fellow attorneys.

NINA ABUBAKARI

100 River Place Drive Detroit, MI 48207 313.416.6262

www.ahcdetroit.org

Advantage Health Centers has been a leader in providing integrated care for more than two decades. With five convenient locations in Detroit and Warren, Advantage offers medical, behavioral health, dental, and pharmacy services by dedicated professionals focused on treating the “whole” patient. Founded in 1982, Advantage initially focused on providing comprehensive healthcare and support services to those experiencing homelessness throughout the greater Detroit community. Today, Advantage has more patient visits for medical, dental, and behavioral health services than any other physician group in the City of Detroit. Advantage is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) which means the organization qualifies for enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid because of our service to an underserved population in and around the city of Detroit. However, Advantage also has patients who carry employer or private insurance. Walk-in and pharmacy services are available along with provider appointments five days a week. Visit www.ahcdetroit.org for information.

DONNA ZALEWSKI

7927 Nemco Way, Suite 200 Brighton, MI 48116 248.207.3768

www.csig.com

Common Sail Investment Group is a Brighton, MI based family of companies serving over 7,000 employees across our brands in the real estate development, senior housing, and health care space. Common Sail Development is a full-service real estate development and construction company. Having developed 150+ projects and built or renovated 11,000+ units of housing, we are proud to have earned our reputation as the multi-family leaders. StoryPoint Group is a collection of senior housing communities. We have the honor and privilege of loving and caring for over 6,000 seniors and families across nine states. Each location offers unique living options, ranging from active adult, independent living, enhanced living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing options. We are proud to have been recognized as the #1 operator in the nation through A Place for Mom’s Best of Senior Living. CorsoCare guides patients through their healthcare journey by delivering home health care, pharmacy, hospice, and personal care services to seniors in the comfort of their homes. Serving over 5,000 patients each year, our care is recognized with a 5-star Strategic Healthcare Agency rating.

COREY CHUBNER

585 South Boulevard East Pontiac, MI 48341 248.433.9733

www.uwm.com

Headquartered in Pontiac, Michigan, UWM is the nation’s largest home mortgage lender, despite exclusively originating mortgage loans through the wholesale channel. UWM has been the largest wholesale mortgage lender for 8 consecutive years and is also the largest purchase lender in the nation. With a culture of continuous innovation of technology and enhanced client experience, UWM leads the market by building upon its proprietary and exclusively licensed technology platforms, superior service and focused partnership with the independent mortgage broker community. UWM originates primarily conforming and government loans across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

EMBASSY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

KATONYA JONES

1420 Washington Boulevard, Suite 301 Detroit, MI 48226 313.720.7394

www.embassycovenant.org

Embassy Community Development Corporation is a Detroit-based 501c3 non-profit organization with a mission to provide housing and family-building support services for unhoused people in the city of Detroit. Embassy Shelters, assist people experiencing homelessness by providing safety, protection, and temporary housing stability. Embassy Human Dignity Program, This program is an intense, focused treatment center that identifies life challenges and addressunderlying trauma through counseling initiatives. Embassy Transitional Housing, Our transitional housing program bridges the gap from homelessness to permanent housing by offering structure, life skills, education, and training. Embassy Affordable Housing, We provide affordable housing to low-income individuals in Detroit, supplying a secure environment to save and build financial wealth. Embassy's goal is to offer participants the opportunity to make empowering choices through supportive programming.

MSU HEALTH-CARE

KASSANDRA BUTLER

909 Wilson Road, Room D130 East Lansing, MI 48824 517.353.5366

www.healthcare.msu.edu

Delivering next-generation health care experiences require a new way of thinking. Reimagining the delivery of health care is the foundation of our mission. MSU Health Care is the academic medical center of Michigan State University. MSU Health Care provides exemplary care in our communities to support the research and academic missions of MSU Health Sciences. MSU Health Care is a network of organizations (some public and some private) that are operated or managed as part of an integrated health system with a single mission to improve the health of Michigan. MSU Health Care represents over 650 employed clinical faculty and 9,359 community-based faculty across 14 clinical departments and 21 academic departments. Faculty are both researchers and academic professors. MSU Health Care spans 46 adult and pediatric specialties committed to high-quality patient care. Combined, the human health colleges have nearly 20,000 alumni, many of whom practice in the state of Michigan.

Amerifirst www.amerifirst.com Bella Vista Travel www.bellavistatravel.ca BOYD www.BoydBeauty.com Brilar LLC www.brilar.net Bureau Detroit www.bureaudetroit.com

Center Line Electric www.centerline-elec.com Chase Creative www.chasecreative.com Cinnaire www.cinnaire.com City of Dearborn www.cityofdearborn.org

City of Ferndale www.ferndalemi.gov

Corktown Business Association www.corktowndetroit.biz

Detroit Real Estate Advisors www.detroitrealestateadvisors.com Golden Limousine Inc. www.goldenlimo.com

Integrated Construction Solutions www.intconsolutions.com

KW City www.kw.com

Malcolm Madison Foundation www.malcolmmadison.org

Michigan Community Resources www.mi-community.org

Michigan Humanities www.michiganhumanities.org Network Technical Services www.networktsi.com

Pica Marketing Group www.picamarketinggroup.com

Property Hunters Inc. www.propertyhunters.com

RIZZARR Inc. www.rizzarr.com Teach For America-Detroit www.teachforamerica.org

The Detroit Stage Employees Union, IATSE Local38 www.iatse38.org

Von Staden Architects www.vonstadenarchitects.com

Windsor Port Authority www.portwindsor.com

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Franco

Lawrence Technological University

We deliver the energy that fuels America.

At Enbridge, we deliver the energy America needs, in a way that ensures a future we can all look forward to.

American energy needs are growing, and it’s essential we meet them, and reduce emissions at the same time. As a bridge to the energy future, we’re focusing on sustainability, and investing in lower-carbon energy sources including renewables.

We’re adapting and modernizing our existing infrastructure to be cleaner and more efficient. And building a stateof-the-art utility tunnel deep under the lakebed at the Mackinac Straits to put Michigan people back to work and help our economic recovery.

We’ve committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, and we’re holding ourselves accountable by tying compensation directly to our progress on these goals.

We are Enbridge—a leading North American energy infrastructure company—and we believe when the energy you invest in life meets the energy we deliver, the future is full of promise.

Learn more at enbridge.com/wedeliver.

With unique lounges, a resort-style spa, signature restaurants, a luxury 400 room hotel, and 30,000 square feet of flexible event space, we make the attendee experience GRAND

HERE TO HELP MICHIGAN BUSINESSES THRIVE.

No matter what stage your business is in, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is here to help you succeed. By connecting you to the resources your business needs, granting access to necessary capital and introducing you to the right partners, the MEDC helps your business reach new potential.

Find out how we can help propel your business forward with customized support at michiganbusiness.org/pure-partnership