Talent is a critical element of economic development and is recognized as a priority in Southeast Michigan’s Economic Development Strategy. SEMCOG’s talent initiatives and focus areas are developed in collaboration with the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), a coalition of business, labor, government and education.
Ensuring the region has the talent needed is a function of the Talent Development system. This prepares and connects talent with jobs and careers, while meeting the needs of employers. The system is made up of all levels of education, workforce development, and employers, with support from government, policy makers and foundations. They work collaboratively to developand develop, enhance, upskill and reskill the workforce with the skills and knowledge that benefits individuals, employers, as well as the economy. An effective talent development system:
- Provides education needed for career success;
- Enables adults to develop and leverage their academic, employment and personal skills for professional growth;
- Helps employers ensure that the current and future workforce has the skills needed; and,
- Recognizes the critical importance of collaboration between stakeholders in achieving these goals.
Regional Education and Workforce Priorities
- Increase Labor Force Participation by addressing barriers to employment – particularly among populations that are under-represented in the workforce;
- Create a robust childcare system to support needs of working parents, entrepreneurs, and individuals in training;
- Strengthen Michigan’s talent development system to create a pipeline for in-demand careers;
- Upskill and reskill workers for evolving industry and employer needs; and
- Encourage enrollment and completion of a range of postsecondary education options including two and four year college, apprenticeships and industry credentials and certificates.
See below for more information on SEMCOG/MAC-involved talent initiatives and projects, as well as additional resources and tools for talent.
Postsecondary Education Campaign
MAC has convened a postsecondary working group to develop a campaign related to encouraging enrollment in post-secondary education. The overarching goal is to improve enrollment in higher education through development of messages that identify postsecondary options and resources to help individuals make decisions about pathways to their specific career goals.
Increasing postsecondary enrollment:
- Increases individual long term employment opportunities and workplaces success.
- Helps meet skill needs of employers
- Helps support regional economic growth
- Improves civic participation
Increasing postsecondary program completion:
- Creates a workforce with in-demand certifications and degrees.
- Attracts business investment
- Increased regional competitiveness
SEMCOG/MAC Talent Initiatives/Projects
Future Skills
The SEMCOG/MAC Task Force on Future Skills convened business, employers, education, labor, workforce development, and government organizations to identify and help develop the necessary education and training infrastructure to address future workforce skills, and position Southeast Michigan for long-term economic success. With increased technology in the workplace, many current American jobs are becoming obsolete. This will result in changing demand for skills for new jobs that will be created, as well as those that will evolve across industries and occupations at every level – not just Information Technology. The Task Force identified in-demand skills in a changing economy and recommendations to ensure our education and training systems are able to address these needs. It included case studies focused on four areas:
- Create and promote a framework for Lifelong Learning
- Build support for multiple career pathways
- Promote collaboration with employers throughout the education and workforce development system
- Increase labor force participation by expanding the number of qualified workers from all segments of the population
Final Report: Future Skills: Preparing for the Changing World of Work.
Education Reform
The SEMCOG/MAC Task Force on Education Reform Task Force was convened to develop a policy framework for providing quality education for all students. This was a key recommendation of the 2016 SEMCOG/MAC Economic Development Strategy: Partnering for Prosperity. The Task Force considered recommendations by various other groups and was also charged with:
- Responding to state education initiatives/recommendations
- Addressing public school reform initiatives in Detroit and elsewhere
- Considering local school finance recommendations
- Addressing the perception, status, recognition, and evaluation of teachers
Final Report: Providing Quality Education for All Students: A Comprehensive Approach
STEM Career and Skilled Trades
The demand for technical skills in the workforce continues to grow. SEMCOG and MAC developed a strategy for building awareness, interest, and appreciation among key groups – students of all ages, parents, counselors, and educators for skilled trades and technical careers – to meet employer needs and the changing demands of the economy. Several resources were developed, including a Technical Career Continuum Model which identifies different paths to career success through post-secondary education – industry certificates, two and four year degrees, and apprenticeships.
Resources for students, parents, counselors, and teachers, including:
Promoting STEM Posters (for download)
Preparing the Technical Workforce: Programs for Technical Skill Development
Infrastructure and Jobs Asset Map
Infrastructure and Jobs: An Asset Map for Southeast Michigan analyzed the jobs expected to be created as a result of major infrastructure projects in Southeast Michigan and identifies training programs to create a workforce that could compete for these jobs. The projects include the new international trade crossing between Detroit and Windsor, Canada; and major improvements to I-75, I-94, and the M-1 rail streetcar. This initiative raised the need to reskill and retrain the current workforce for in-demand jobs and also to create a future pipeline.
Soft Skills
The Lifelong Soft Skills Framework was developed by the Talent Task Force. This is a plan for developing essential workplace and life skills that help students and employees succeed. It identified 18 key soft skills and eight stakeholder groups who have a role in developing these skills through teaching, modeling, reinforcing, and assessments. Material in the report was used by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to develop 14 soft skill videos.
SEMCOG/MAC Talent Policies
SEMCOG Resources for Talent
Data, Tools and Maps
The following tools provide valuable information to assist talent development stakeholders with decision making on the region’s talent needs, trends and opportunities.
2050 Forecast of School-Age Population: shows projected school-age population change from 2020-2050 by local school district.
Laborshed–Linking Residents to Workplaces: shows where Southeast Michigan’s workers live, work and the commute between both locations.
Employment Density: shows employment by workplace, community and size.
Broadband Availability and Usage Tool: displays digital connectivity, in terms of residential broadband availability, internet use, and computer usage throughout Southeast Michigan
Community Profiles: numerous data sets including highest level of education by community.
Reports and Blogs
SEMCOG /MAC talent Task Force reports can be found in Accordion 1. In addition, SEMCOG has developed a number of reports on trends related to the current and future workforce.
Where is our Workforce? Southeast Michigan’s Labor Force Participation Rate Trends: Analysis of the Detroit area’s labor force participation rate
Videos
SEMCOG participates annually in regional efforts to promote career awareness and exploration. These videos provide highlights of two of the region’s most important annual events for career exploration.
Manufacturing Day (2019)
MiCareerQuest Southeast (2019)