Earlier this month, the Michigan legislature announced that there is $28.7 million in the 2021 FY budget reserved explicitly for the Going PRO Talent Fund. The Going PRO Talent Fund provides employers with the resources they need to provide training and develop and retain their talent. The application period opens Monday, November 2, and closes Monday, November 30, at 5:00 PM.
Eligibility
The Going PRO Talent Fund is an invaluable resource for employers, and, to maintain the program’s integrity, requires certain employer, employee, and training criteria to be met.
Employer
Employers that receive funding must demonstrate a legitimate need for talent growth and training services.
Michigan Works! Association (MWA) Business Services staff conduct fact-checking sessions with employers to assess their talent skill gaps, suitable training providers, and availability of federal funding sources. If the MWA deems Talent funds appropriate, they provide the employer access to the online application portal. To get the process started, Michigan.gov advises interested candidates to contact their local MWA office as soon as possible to allow ample time for the fact-checking process.
Find your local Michigan Works! office here.
Employee
Your participating employees, current or new, must also meet certain criteria for you to be eligible for funding. The criteria are as follows:
- Permanent, full-time employee of the employer when the approved training begins
- Work primarily in Michigan, and for whom the employer pays all applicable taxes to the State of Michigan, regardless of where the employee lives
- 18 years of age or older
- Citizen or legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Training
For training to be approved and funded through this program, it must:
- Fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer
- Be short-term
- Lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry
It also must be one or more of the following:
- Classroom or customized training
- New employee on-the-job training
- Training for first-year USDOL Registered Apprentices
The amount you request cannot exceed $1,500 per person or $3,000 per first-year U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Registered Apprentice.
For more information about the program, visit Michigan.gov.
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Filling skills gaps is an ongoing challenge across industries, from oil and gas to manufacturing and healthcare, and safety training has never been more critical. Applying for funding through Going PRO opens up the opportunity for you to provide effective training for your greatest assets — your employees.
Your success is our priority. We can help stretch your budget — funded or not — further. To learn about TriMedia’s safety training services, contact us at hello@trimediaee.com or 906-228-5125.