Going PRO Talent Fund
The Going PRO Talent Fund (GPTF) creates jobs and new opportunities through competitive training grants for employers like you! Winners receive funds to hire talent and upskill current employees, with customized training solutions to meet the needs of your business.
$3.6+ Million were awarded to Southeast Michigan businesses in 2023, resulting in 789 new jobs and 1,800+ employees trained. What can the #Going PRO talent fund do for your business?
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New jobs created
Employees Trained
New Apprenticeships
2023 Award
Get a second chance at funding!
The Going PRO Talent fund has new opportunities for employers participating in Industry Led Collaboratives, an innovative strategy to help employers to close the skills gap.
An Industry-Led Collaborative (ILC) is a network of businesses, training providers, and workforce agencies that use the power of collaboration to identify opportunities to upskill their workforce. With exclusive access to additional dollars from the GoingPRO Talent Fund, participating companies can fill in-demand jobs and create lucrative career opportunities for their employees.
Are you ready to close the talent gap? Contact us to learn more about Industry Led Collaboratives!
Celebrating Success
Paragon Metals, Inc. is a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier of automotive, truck, industrial and heavy equipment to Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Volvo, and recently expanded its Michigan footprint by adding another facility in the Hillsdale Industrial Park. In order to adequately staff growth, the company worked closely with Michigan Works! to apply for the Going PRO Talent fund and was awarded $18,000 to jumpstart electrical apprenticeships and hire 10 new employees, such as Cole Breault.
"Without the Going PRO training money we wouldn’t be in as good as a position as we are now. This is a huge benefit for not just our employees, but for economic development in the region."
Cole Breault was a recent high school graduate with no prior work experience. Michigan Works! Southeast connected him with Paragon Metals who were happy to hire him thanks to additional funding from the GPTF grant.
"I feel more confident and I feel less intimidated by the career/working kind of environment. It makes it a little bit easier…"
As a result of this growth – and the Going PRO Talent Fund that helped make it possible Paragon Metals and Cole Breault have both become vibrant parts of the economic resurgence in Hillsdale County.
2023 Award Winners
| Company Name | City | County | Amount Awarded |
| Oaks at Northpointe Woods | Battle Creek | Calhoun County | $ 32,100.00 |
| Castor Concepts | Albion | Calhoun County | $ 52,248.10 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Oaks at Woodfield : Grand Blanc | Grand Blanc | Genesee County | $ 37,653.30 |
| Ross Design & Engineering | Cement City | Hillsdale County | $ 87,905.85 |
| Livonia Tool & Laser | Litchfield | Hillsdale County | $ 14,338.00 |
| Hillsdale Hospital | Hillsdale | Hillsdale County | $ 184,098.85 |
| Ritz-Craft of Michigan | Jonesville | Hillsdale County | $ 28,880.37 |
| Cobra Moto, LLC | Hillsdale | Hillsdale County | $ 11,235.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Willows at East Lansing | East Lansing | Ingham County | $ 13,856.50 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Willows at Okemos | Okemos | Ingham County | $ 76,935.14 |
| Accubilt Automated Systems LLC | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 105,930.00 |
| Wardcraft Industries | Spring Arbor | Jackson County | $ 137,465.04 |
| Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc. | Parma | Jackson County | $ 52,397.90 |
| Technique | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 125,687.55 |
| Consumers Energy Jackson | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 30,461.83 |
| Elm Plating Company | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 517,880.00 |
| Our Family Friend- Jackson, MI | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 18,725.00 |
| Advance Turning & Manufacturing, Inc. | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 3,745.00 |
| Lomar | Horton | Jackson County | $ 11,235.00 |
| MAIN & COMPANY | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 18,725.00 |
| Jackson Tumble Finish | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 3,745.00 |
| RW Mercer Co | Jackson | Jackson County | $ 26,215.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – The Oaks at Belmont | Belmont | Kent County | $ 11,235.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Oaks at Byron Center | Byron Center | Kent County | $ 6,313.00 |
| Synchrony Pharmacy/PCA : Grand Rapids | Grand Rapids | Kent County | $ 8,230.44 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Stonegate Health Campus : Lapeer | Lapeer | Lapeer County | $ 97,370.00 |
| Adrian Steel Company | Adrian | Lenawee County | $ 11,235.00 |
| MS Ultrasonic | Howell | Livingston County | $ 14,980.00 |
| Thai Summit America | Howell | Livingston County | $ 30,515.33 |
| Dunnage Engineering | Brighton | Livingston County | $ 53,500.00 |
| Leigh Harter Speech Services, PLLC | Hartland | Livingston County | $ 41,215.33 |
| Trilogy Health Services – The Willows at Howell | Howell | Livingston County | $ 149,800.00 |
| Liverpool FC IA Michigan | Howell | Livingston County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Ventra Fowlerville LLC | Fowlerville | Livingston County | $ 29,425.00 |
| TG Fluid Systems | Brighton | Livingston County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Shelby Crossing Health Campus : Utica | Utica | Macomb County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Orchard Grove Health Campus : Romeo | Romeo | Macomb County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Westlake Health Campus | Commerce Township | Oakland County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Trilogy Health Services – Novi Lakes Health Campus | Novi | Oakland County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Fontanesi & Kann Co: Ferndale | Ferndale | Oakland County | $ 29,425.00 |
| The Betty Brigade | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 29,425.00 |
| UIS SCADA | Dexter | Washtenaw County | $ 29,425.00 |
| AF Smith Electric | Ypsilanti | Washtenaw County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Haley Mechanical | Dexter | Washtenaw County | $ 29,425.00 |
| Ashcott Electrical | Whitmore Lake | Washtenaw County | $ 93,625.00 |
| A & N Electric | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 21,560.50 |
| Brentwood Electric | Dexter | Washtenaw County | $ 29,960.00 |
| Dan’s Electric | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 79,016.29 |
| Harper Electric | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 80,619.15 |
| Hopp Electric | Chelsea | Washtenaw County | $ 23,943.39 |
| Wolverine Glass | Dexter | Washtenaw County | $ 221,704.00 |
| Huron Valley Electric | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 139,544.05 |
| Turner Electric Service Inc. | Dexter | Washtenaw County | $ 64,200.00 |
| Tri-County Electric | Saline | Washtenaw County | $ 7,853.80 |
| Galaxy Brain and Therapy Center | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 89,880.00 |
| BCIC Early Achievers | Ypsilanti | Washtenaw County | $ 21,746.68 |
| Leon Speakers | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 77,826.45 |
| Michigan Medicine – Health Information Technology & Services | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $ 69,015.00 |
| Hatch Stamping Company | Chelsea | Washtenaw County | $ 101,521.60 |
| National Fiber | Whitmore Lake | Washtenaw County | $ 14,980.00 |
| Golden Limousine International | Milan | Washtenaw County | $ 43,870.00 |
| Michigan Mobility and Logistics | Ypsilanti | Washtenaw County | $ 11,449.00 |
| GESTAMP WASHTENAW LLC | Chelsea | Washtenaw County | $ 3,210.00 |
| Global Entrepreneurship Business Lab – Ypsilanti Office | Ypsilanti | Washtenaw County | $ 12,840.00 |
| logic solutions | Plymouth | Wayne County | $ 43,383.15 |
| Bayview Electric | Redford | Wayne County | $ 60,294.50 |