While the governor's office is reporting low unemployment numbers, the Michigan Talent Investment Agency says the need for skilled workers is rising.
FOX 47 News's Cryss Walker sat down with employment experts to talk about the need to connect an abundance of good paying jobs with qualified workers.
A high school diploma can go a long way with the proper training.
State talent developers say companies are looking to fill positions in variety of industries that can provide a living wage for workers with limited pre-requisites.
“We call it professional trades”, said Marcia Black-Watson from the Michigan Talent Investment Agency.
“These are occupations that require uh some post-secondary education and training beyond high school but maybe not a bachelor's degree.”
Black-Watson says labor market research shows that thousands of professional trades jobs are open across the state.
“Manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, through 2024 there will be 811,000 opportunities available in the professional trades areas.
Talent specialists say although there may not be a labor shortage in the state, there is shortage of people with the proper skill-set for available positions.
“What we are encouraging employers to do in a number of different ways is to really grow their own talent and so growing talent can be accomplished through what we call work-based learning”, Black-Watson explained.
Job experts are advising employers to develop their entry to mid-level workers by grooming their personnel for higher positions to avoid skill shortages.
“Individuals don't realize that those opportunities are available and they are out there and more and more employers are embracing that way to make sure that they have talent for today and in the future”, Black-Watson continued.
The Michigan Talent Investment Agency estimates that 15,000 professional trade jobs open every year in the state.
