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In 1952, LINK Engineering Company opened a second location in the northern Michigan town of Indian River, bringing many new jobs to the community. The new location, LINK Industries, was setup to manufacture and develop cutting tools and support machining details for LINK-Detroit. Many of LINK workers only knew the post-WWII machines they have worked on for decades. Equipment and worker skills needed to be upgraded to keep the plant competitive, and more importantly, continue operation. In 2014, the LINK family committed to an ambitious program to turn its Northern Michigan facility around and the decision was made to make major investments in building upgrades, new CNC machine technology, and employee training. Working closely with Michigan Works, North Central Michigan College, and strategic Michigan partners, LINK designed a training and hiring plan to be more competitive. LINK is committed to further invest in continued facility upgrades and more CNC equipment, which means LINK workers must become more proficient and certified in newer CNC skill sets. Link Industries is committed to Northern Michigan and has been an active and valued employer in Cheboygan County. Their “family atmosphere” is clear when touring the facility and their pursuit of employee training is to not only better the company, but to better the skills of their valued employees. Working with Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, LINK was able to secure a 2021 Going PRO Training Fund award of $13,657 to train 9 existing workers and hire/train 1 new employees. The training covered Advanced Machine and Software Training through Star Cutter. The Going PRO award will help LINK train the skilled workforce needed to earn new business, widen their product line, increase their customer base, and double their business within 3-5 years. Doug Gulau, Machinist at LINK and trainee recipient states, “I truly appreciate the opportunity Link Industries along with the Going Pro Grant has given me to learn more about our Star Grinders.” The trainee was able to learn more about the advanced machining software for the equipment, building value in himself as an employee and building value in the company. “Doug participated with two other LINK employees in the advanced machine and software training from Star Cutter out of Elk Rapids, MI,” reports Jeff Veryser, General Manager at LINK Industries. “Doug is a lead employee who programs and operates the (3) CNC Star Grinders at LINK Industries. He’s done a great job of fine-tuning our programs for increased efficiency to run “lights out” in the evenings when the day shift is complete.” In addition to employee training programs, LINK has worked closely with Michigan Works!, participating in student Talent Tours, job postings, and job fairs.

A "Rock Star" is a NEMC employee who: - is a key asset to the team - would be a struggle to replace - selflessly goes the extra mile - consistently represents the agency in an exceptional manner - exemplifies the heart & soul of our organization Edie Kerr - Fiscal Assistant (& unofficial HR Liaison) "Edie has always been my go to person whether personal or work related. It's going to be a huge loss for our agency when she retires. She always goes above and beyond to help everyone. She takes a lot of hits and keeps on going. " "The Covid Era has been rough on everyone but Edie's additional duties have far surpassed everyone's and she has handled it selflessly. She is the best." "I am fairly a new employee to NEMC. However, since I have been employed, Edith has been extremely helpful. Any questions I have concerning H/R information, she is on top of it. I know that when I in need of answers because I am stuck and have none to little understanding on forms, Edith is just an email or text message away, ready and willing to help! She is a Rockstar in my book!! Thank you Edie Kerr!" "Why should Edie be the NEMC Rock Star? Because of 2020 AND 2021. All of it. Throughout the entire pandemic she has gone above and beyond. Being transparent about what the company is doing and why, providing information regarding changes and health safety and more, putting out fires (so, so, so many fires), juggling new program funding and many staff turnovers, and making MWNEMC a MORE THAN ACCOMMODATING place to work during all this turmoil. The last 2 years at NEMC would not have been the same if not for Edie's patience, guidance, support, and humor. She's definitely a Rock Star, even though she likes the Packers." "always jumps in to help, everything Covid, evolved into a HR manager along with all her other duties, the go to person for everyone in the company, and on and on and on" "During the most difficult now nearly two years in most of our lives, Edie has worked tirelessly to ensure staff were kept safe from COVID to the maximum extent possible. Not only safe but employed. Decisions weren't easy, but when the organization made a quick transition to work from home, Edie helped ensure every employee had everything they needed to work from home, including support. As we continue to work our way through the COVID-19 pandemic many tough decisions still need to be made daily; masks or no masks, vaccination requirements, monitoring staff who are sick, making sure those with symptoms have a negative test result, the list continues - and Edie assists with it all in stride. Edie may not want to accept this award, but I truly believe she deserves it - countless hours on the phone and in meetings to work towards keeping Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium open for business throughout the entire pandemic, while making sure staff were taken care of." "She does it all! She is the jack of all trades and master of most. She IS HR, knows all programs inside and out, all things fiscal, helps with contracts, fiscal/program monitors, landlords and building issues, partners, the IFAs, MOUs, time sheets, procurement, and the awful COVID pandemic over the last 18 months. She is our party planner and often our biggest cheerleader. She takes the time to listen, even when she can't afford to. Rock on, Edie!" "Edie has always been a "rock" for the employees of NEMC - new and old!!" "Edie is the go to person. She is always there when you need her. Her work is in the backgrounds so are often overlooked. While no single item may stand out as she keeps these details confidential, she is involved in helping us through personal issues to work issues."

With the help of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, Air Way Automation received $2,320 in Going PRO Talent Fund to train 3 existing employees. Training included MasterCam Multi Axis and MasterCam 3D & 2D training. With staff trained in these areas, Air Way is in a better position to meet customer needs and it allows them to backfill positions, as senior employees move on to retirement. “The Going PRO Grant awarded to our company helped Air Way to provide educational opportunities for a number of our employees,” states Jackie Toms, HR Manager with Air Way Automation. “These training classes allowed employees in Engineering and Machining to increase their knowledge for both job enhancement and promotion. We are then able to apply upgraded technological capabilities to our processes and the products we produce for customers worldwide. It’s a win-win for the company and for our employees.” Jackie continues, “Many of our customers have additional applications they would like us to provide, but we are unable to satisfy those requests because we don't currently have those capabilities in-house. Training in those applications will allow Air Way to expand our business, and employees will gain skills in new technology.” “Our CNC machinists are not just operators, but have become very skilled programmers. As Air Way has tried to fill new positions from the outside, we've had many candidates who could not meet these skills. If Air Way is to continue to grow, we need to provide training to bring new employees up to the level of our current machinists.”

Between 2018 and 2019, Weyerhaeuser completed several capital projects and equipment upgrades which cost nearly 80 million dollars. All the new equipment presented a need for additional staff training due to technical advancements. Weyerhaeuser knows that building their employees’ skill set is critical to support these capital projects and allows their mill to continue to be a strong business influence in their community. New equipment isn’t the only reason Weyerhaeuser needs to train staff. Over the next several years, they expect five to ten retirements each year due to the tenure of their workforce. They have hired over 60 new employees in the last five years and have begun hiring new staff a year in advance of anticipated retirements in efforts to ensure that technical skills are transferred to new hires. During this effort to build technical depth in their new hires, they provide individuals with training specific to their equipment, programming, policies/procedures as well as providing above and beyond MIOSHA required safety training. These efforts are not only to keep their staff aware of cutting edge technologies, but also prepare them to deal with upset conditions, which may occur in the Manufacturing Sector. Several of these positions are their most technical and managerial roles within the mill and they continuously prepare for additional departures by developing strong succession plans, which include extensive training and expertise be obtained by their current workforce. With the help of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, Weyerhaeuser received $15,739 in Going PRO Training Funds to train 20 existing workers. Trainings included welding, leadership, and smoke school, with trainings provided by Kirtland Community College and Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. Having staff trained in these critical areas will help Weyerhaeuser fill vacancies from within, as senior employees retire. “Welding is a critical skill for our mill,” states Kelly Cipponeri, HR Manager at Weyerhaeuser. “The welding course at Kirtland created an opportunity for us to add a skill set to 8 of our mill members. This grant and partnership with Kirtland created an opportunity that we would not have been able to provide otherwise.” Kelly continues, “The Leadership training was hosted through Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. When asked ‘how do you plan to incorporate these skills into your daily work?’, responses included they would have a better approach to conflict and giving feedback. These are two areas that can be challenging, especially for newer leaders, so we were excited to hear that feedback!” “We also utilized the funds for smoke school. The smoke school certification or visible emissions training is a requirement by the EPA and allows us to be compliant with certain permits. By adding this skill to additional members of our mill, we are providing learning opportunities for more people and ensuring the mill’s continued compliance with regulations.” In addition to the Going PRO Talent Fund, Weyerhaeuser also takes advantage of other Michigan Works! training programs – training 3 new hires in 2021 thanks to the On-The-Job Training program.

IMM offers a wide variety of nation-wide industrial installations and maintenance services, including metal fabrication and machine building. While their field crews work across the country, their home base is their manufacturing facility located in Central Northern Lower Michigan (Gaylord). IMM is a staple in the Crawford county industrial footprint. Their goal is one of growth and the addition of job opportunities. Working in partnership with community tech educators and industry trainers, it is IMM’s goal to strengthen the abilities of their current team and build in the technical advantage of new team members. This focus will help IMM continue to be an industry partner of choice with current and new customers. As with other companies in the area, IMM struggles to find solid industry talent. This, along with a desire to remain competitive, drives IMM to begin an apprentice program in partnership with Kirkland Community College and working with local technical programs to align career pathways to the many levels of welding/fabrication certification (starting with a basic interest the industry, to a journeyman, and even to certifying the quality of the final product). IMM is creating a buzz in the industry as a fabricator of choice as they continue to build a solid team that can produce quality workmanship. With the help of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, IMM received a 2021 Going PRO Talent Fund award of $6,716 to train 17 existing employees. The funding paid for blueprint training, which benefitted the employees by: giving them knowledge of what the symbols on the print means, giving them knowledge of how to read a print, giving them knowledge of following a blueprint, instilling self-confidence when making decisions after reading a blueprint, and provided employees a refresher course on measurements (both standard and metric). This training will make for more efficient workflow at IMM, ensuring less mistakes, rework, and downtime rework due to reading blueprints incorrectly or not understanding them. Having the staff trained in blueprint reading was extremely important to meet IMM’s production goals.

NAI is a leading designer and manufacturer of custom copper wire harnesses which deliver power and signals to monitor data, connect people and keep equipment operating. NAI products are used in both the medical and communications industries on a daily basis. They operate seven plants worldwide and continue to grow. In 2018, NAI’s CEO saw an opportunity to open a new manufacturing facility in Gaylord, Michigan. His vision was to bring more job opportunities to the area, which would benefit the small northern Michigan town, as well as Gaylord being a prime location for transporting products efficiently. NAI is considered a critical manufacturing company. During the unsettling times of COVID-19, they were able to remain open and keep their employees working at full capacity. Currently, the Gaylord is preparing for the transition of products that were being manufactured at their Shuzuo, China plant to be manufactured domestically, in Gaylord, Michigan. As a critical manufacturing facility, it’s very important NAI has a workforce that is ready and able to perform their job to their best ability especially during uncertain times. In order for NAI to be successful, it’s paramount that they have a skilled workforce, and that they’re provided the tools and education necessary to complete their jobs. Skill-specific talent in northern Michigan is scarce, but NAI is willing to invest in training their employees so they can succeed and grow together. NAI realizes a key factor to their success is investing in continuous training to foster growth as their Gaylord product line. As NAI expands product lines, their budget for training will increase as well. With the help of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, NAI was awarded a 2021 Going PRO Talent Fund award of $16,442 to train 11 existing employees and hire/train 5 new employees. Training included “Train the Trainer” provided by North Central Michigan College, Blueprint Reading provided by Kirtland Community College, and OSHA 30 training provided online. “GPTF has provided NAI with the opportunity to provide training to new and existing employees,” states Beth Butler, Human Resources Administrative Assistant at NAI. “With the additional funding available, we were able to offer training in our specific industry that otherwise would not have been available.” She continues, “Being in Northern Michigan, skilled specific talent is hard to find. This is why NAI invests and trains our employees to develop with us as we continue growing. With the support of the GPTF, we are able to keep investing in our workforce, allowing us to retain talent and bring in new talent to fill any documented skill mismatch within our industry.”

For Carmeuse Americas Calcite Operations, teaching new skills has made a difference to their operations. One of the world’s leading manufacturers in limestone and limestone products, Carmeuse hires specialized and general workers for their quarry operations. Since 2017, Calcite has hired 40+ new employees as a result of retirements and/or additional positions, resulting in about 50% of their workforce having 5 years or less "on the job" experience. Unfortunately, due to Covid-related loss in business/sales contracts, Carmeuse has had to reduce training budgets. Although they’ve been very creative with finding low-cost or free, vendor provided trainings to help keep employees moving forward, those options are limited. They’ve recently introduced multiple (non-registered) apprenticeship opportunities (with tuition reimbursement) and other pay increase incentives to provide continuous learning options - however, when already working 50+ hours per week, most employees don't have the time to go back to school (even online). With the work schedule being what it is for Carmeuse employees, they’ve learned that condensed, hands-on, job specific, and directly applicable trainings provide the most value to their employees. Not only do these trainings provide the skillsets needed to increase productivity, the new skills also help employees pass competency tests which result in higher wages. Unfortunately, these types of trainings are costly and with an already limited training budget, assistance from the Going PRO Talent Fund was Carmeuse’s only chance at being able to offer these trainings in 2021. With the help of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, Carmeuse Lime & Stone was awarded $39,960 in Going PRO Training Funds to train 26 existing employees. Training included: Hydraulics & Bearing Maintenance (AIS), Electrical Master's Prep (Alpena Community College), CAT Trainer Certification (Caterpillar), MDOT Aggregate Certification (Ferris State University), QUAQC (Ferris State University), and Welding (Industrial Arts Institute). Local training provider Industrial Arts Institute (IAI) was able to offer a specialized four day training program to fit Carmeuse’s specific needs. “It means a lot that IAI is willing to offer us training specific to our needs and at a time that works for our operation,” states Carmeuse’s HR Generalist Erika Comerford. “The team was blown away by the chance to learn from Tom Moran. His experience and depth of knowledge added so much value to their experience.” IAI’s Executive Director Tammy Ward hopes other employers will take advantage of the Going PRO Talent Fund to pay for the training. “The purpose of the Going Pro Talent Fund grant is to support employers’ efforts to train their current workforce,” Ward said. “As employers face mounting challenges sourcing and hiring workers – all workers, not just welders – these funds provide them with additional incentive to take advantage of training programs like ours.” Caleb Rhode is one of the Carmeuse employees who received welding training thanks to the Going PRO funding. Caleb’s upbeat attitude and eagerness to learn made him a great candidate for the training, and he had high praises for the program after its completion. When asked to summarize his experience, Caleb responded, “I was able to do a lot of different things; I pretty much had access to anything I wanted.” He learned to air arch, stick/TIG/MIG weld, and even how to solder hydraulic lines. “They even brought an old backhoe in for us to air arch apart and then weld back together. It was great!” He liked how he was able to work with a variety of metals - “New steel, old steel, rusted, painted…a bunch of stuff”. He also liked how they were able to experiment with welding in a variety of positions such as overhead, in tight spaces, and other awkward positions (applicable to the real work environment). “Tom (Moran) is an excellent teacher”, said Caleb. “He showed us anything we wanted and didn’t care about us using materials. I was able to try a lot of things that I would have never been able to otherwise”. Caleb reports, “I feel a lot more confident now. I had welded before this class, but not very much. I still have a lot to learn and would love to go back, but I have a lot more confidence in my welding skills now than I did before I took the class”. Caleb was very grateful for the opportunity provided by the Going PRO Talent Fund and has been able to be a stronger contributor at Carmeuse as a result of his new skills.

Brianna contacted Michigan Works! in Grayling because she was having a difficult time paying for the Cardiac Sonography program at Kirtland Community College. Michigan Works! Career Advisor Jackie Gransden was able to assist Brianna with tuition assistance, mileage reimbursement, and books & clothing reimbursements. During the internship portion of the program, Brianna decided to relocate to Minnesota. She was able to complete the program 100% virtual, graduating Summa Cum Laude. In addition, she received a full-time employment offer immediately after her internship. Brianna was very grateful for the assistance Michigan Works! was able to provide, sharing, “Thank you for all your help throughout my time at KCC Jackie!”

Shawnna came to Michigan Works! in Grayling because she was scheduled for a mandatory second RESEA appointment. During their conversation, Michigan Works! Career Navigator Chris Southwell learned that Shawnna was technically “underemployed”, not unemployed, and that getting back and forth to work was becoming more and more difficult with her worn out tires and the winter roads. Chris suggested that the BRES program (Barrier Removal Employment Success) may be able to offer a solution. With the help of the BRES funding, Shawnna was able to get new tires on her car so that she could continue getting to/from work safely. Shawnna expressed her gratitude to Michigan Works! and Chris for recognizing her need and finding a solution to help. While she initially called Michigan Works! because of a UIA mandated appointment, she ended up getting much needed assistance she never expected. Shawnna hopes this story will help others realize that Michigan Works! can help with so much more than the public perceives.

Greg came to Michigan Works! seeking assistance in obtaining his CDL. Several years ago he had been injured at work. He moved to Northern Michigan for a job, but when the company relocated, he was left unemployed. With the help of Michigan Works! Career Advisor, Niki Chamberlain, Greg was able to complete courses at Road Warrior Truck Driving School and obtain his CDL-B. Having completed his training, Greg has had a few promising interviews, but is currently waiting on his HAZMAT certificate to be processed through Secretary of State, which is backed up at this time. “The biggest challenge was trying to figure out a career change and what I wanted to do next,” said Greg. “I actually didn’t pass the driving test the first time, but Kurt, my instructor, took the time to work with me and gave me another chance to pass it and I did.”

With the assistance of Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium Decorative Panels International (DPI) of Alpena received $73,500 in Going PRO Talent Fund awards which they utilized to train two existing employees and hire over 20 new workers. Decorative Panels International (DPI) has been established in Alpena Michigan for more than 60 years providing homeowners and retailers with decorative wall panels. They are a Wet-dry process S2S Hardboard Manufacturer and the only one left of its kind. DPI-Alpena employs 193 employees including skilled trades in Maintenance Mechanics and Maintenance Electricians. In 2020, DPI was voted The Alpena News’ Sunrise Side “Employer of the Year” by the community and they strive for continuous improvement. During the pandemic, DPI has maintained their commitment to the local community by providing 2,500 face shields to City and Township Fire Departments, medial facilities, nursing homes, grocery stores, schools and emergency facilities. DPI prefers to hire employees experienced in manufacturing, but this is not always possible. Therefore, they rely on their DOL apprenticeship program along with their On the Job training (OJT) program and additional education to train new staff members to obtain the skills necessary for these skilled trade positions. The Going PRO Training award has been highly beneficial in the training process, especially as some current staff are retiring and needing to be replaced. DPI’s facility started operations in 1957 and they have original press line machinery onsite, which calls for a robust maintenance department. No other press lines in the nation are designed for DPI’s hardboard manufacturing wet dry process, smooth 2 sided process, so it takes a highly trained skilled trades maintenance department to maintain and run the equipment correctly and efficiently. DPI’s employees’ value competitive training opportunities. This helps create loyalty between DPI and the employees; therefore, creating a quality product and less turnover. Having the ability for DPI’s employees to attend specific training on stamping, robotics and welding not only gives them the skills necessary within the wood pulp industry it also gives DPI an advantage on contracts against industry competitors. The two Maintenance Mechanic Apprentices, Josh & Kaleb, received training in Blueprint Reading, Predictive & Preventative Maintenance, Machine Repair, Apprentice Hydraulics, and more. In addition, both receive on-the-job training daily, learning new tasks everyday with Journeyman Maintenance Mechanic employees. The Apprentice classes will provide a career path for these team members to become Maintenance Mechanic Journeyman. Sharon Kindt, HR Manager at DPI, states, “The OJT training that our employees receive is specific to our industry and process. It is invaluable to the trainee and a must in order to be successful here at DPI.” “Michigan Works! has been a huge help in this process, we have never done something like this before and I would not have been able to complete this whole process without them,” Kindt continues, “Outside from that, they have also done job fairs in which we have participated and have been able to talk to applicants and receive applications from job seekers.”

When Trevor met with Michigan Works! Youth Career Advisor Jessie Trumble, he knew what he wanted to do, he just needed someone to help him through the process. Jessie enrolled Trevor in the WIOA Youth Program and Jobs for Michigan Graduates (JMG). Through Michigan Works!, Trevor received high school completion supports, career exploration, post-secondary prep and transition supports, and supportive services as needed (such as mileage, car insurance, housing, clothing, and employment related requirements). One of the most impactful things to Trevor was the extra adult support and guidance that Jessie provided, as he lost both parents during his program participation. With Jessie’s mentorship, Trevor completed high school and received a post-secondary degree as a Great Lakes Maritime Academy Engineering Officer. He says he learned that no matter what life throws at you, you have to be persistent and ride out the wave - all while prepping for the next one. Trevor says he’s extremely appreciative of the services provided by his various career advisors. He states that if they weren't there to help him along the way, he would have been completely lost and the supportive services were completely appreciated. He was happy that programs like these exist, because they help so many people.