LANSING — Upper Peninsula hiring and employment successes were among those celebrated recently by the Michigan Works! Association at the First Annual Prosperity Awards.

Among the honorees were the Upper Peninsula Health Care Roundtable (UPHCRT), which works to address health care staffing shortages, and the Upper Peninsula Construction Regional Skills Alliance (RSA), an industry led organization comprised of trade representatives and construction industry management.

The organizations were recognized for their work educating, training and recruiting the best and brightest workers to fill jobs in their local industries.

Upper Peninsula Construction RSA
Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! teams worked with the RSA to address regional workforce and economic challenges for the construction industry by hosting the Industrial Trades Career Day, blending career awareness with hands-on learning for high school students from across the entire U.P.

Over 400 high school juniors and seniors from six school districts participated in the 2013 Career Day.

“The RSA and Michigan Works! work together to raise awareness of the high-demand, high-wage career opportunities in the construction and industrial trades industries and to train residents for the jobs employers are offering,” said Tony Retaskie, Executive Director, Upper Peninsula Construction Council; Chair, Upper Peninsula Construction Regional Skills Alliance; and Board Member of Michigan Works! The Job Force Board.

Pictured with the Upper Peninsula Construction RSA were Sen. Tom Casperson, Deb Doyle from Michigan Works! The Job Force Board, Rep. Ed McBroom, U.P. Construction Council Chair Tony Retaskie, Rep. Scott Dianda, Gwen Worley from the Eastern Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! and Rep. Frank Foster.

Upper Peninsula Health Care Roundtable
The Upper Peninsula Health Care Roundtable worked with Michigan Works! board members, healthcare facilities, community organizations and others to recruit and train skilled health care professionals.

“Michigan Works! offices across the Upper Peninsula are connecting job makers with workers and rebuilding our state’s economy one job at a time,” said state Sen. Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba).  “The Upper Peninsula Healthcare Roundtable and UP Construction Regional Skills Alliance represent remarkable efforts by great local job providers who are focused on delivering results for the entire region.”

Pictured with the Upper Peninsula Health Care Roundtable were Rep. Scott Dianda, Pam McKenna from Tendercare Health Center in Munising, Rep. Frank Foster, Rep. Ed McBroom, Ms. Jordan Kennedy from the Executive Office of Governor Rick Snyder, Sen. Tom Casperson, Deb Doyle from Michigan Works! The Job Force Board, and Gwen Worley from the Eastern Upper Peninsula Michigan Works!

The Prosperity Awards are an opportunity for state leaders to recognize the work of job makers and local workers successfully paired through Michigan Works! demand-driven approach to talent development, and saw dozens of honorees from across the state receive awards presented by their local lawmakers and state workforce development officials.
Award winners included job makers, Michigan Works! Agencies, partners and workers from across the state.

“Michigan Works! is instrumental in meeting the workforce demands of local employers,” said Luann Dunsford, Chief Executive Officer of the Michigan Works! Association. “By collaborating regionally on a demand-driven talent development strategy, we are connecting job makers with the skilled workers they need while preparing Michigan citizens for 21st century jobs.”

Employers and job seekers in the Upper Peninsula can find the nearest Michigan Works! Service Center by visiting www.upmichiganworks.org or by calling 800-285-WORKS.