The Works Podcast: Recent Episodes
GST Michigan Works
The Works Podcast is a monthly podcast series put on by GST Michigan Works where we explore strategies to find and retain the best talent Michigan has to offer.
We are joined by Jennifer and Amanda from 100K Ideas to discuss how the organization helps entrepreneurs develop their ideas into successful businesses. 100K Ideas is a team of hobbyists, thinkers, and inventors with a mission to help passionate innovators create products/services and startups of their own through mentorship.
In this episode, we sit down with Scott Jedele, Administration Manager with apprenticeship expansion, department of labor and economic opportunity. Scott explains what LEO does, what registered apprenticeships are and how they fit within LEO, how they are involved in the process and the value to employers.
To learn more, visit https://www.michigan.gov/leo/.
In this episode, we speak with Rick Mason, Training Director with Flint and Saginaw Electrical JATC. Rick discusses with the JATC does, as well as electricians role, working conditions, occupations offered and the application process.
In this episode, we speak with Apprentice and training coordinator for the Michigan bricklayers and Allied Crafter workers training center, Howard Hipes.
Howard guides us through the advantages of an apprenticeship, learning many things before you ever see them on the job site, so when you do see them, you’ve already had an introduction to them, and you know what’s going on.
He explains working conditions based on the different job types, talks about the many occupations that are under the bricklayers’ umbrella, dispelling myths around unions, and also discusses women coming in the trades more and more.
Next, Wanda sits down with Shawn O'Neil, the director of training for the painters and allied trades union. Shawn discusses what the painters and allied trade union does, how they find work, the typical working conditions of the job and the occupations that are offered in the union.
For more information, please visit http://www.iupatdc1michigan.org.
In this episode, we sit down with Matt Rajda, the training coordinator for the Iron Workers local 25 training center as he explains his role, what ironworkers do, the different occupations in the trade as well as the working conditions and application process.
For more information, please visit http://www.ironworkers25.org/apprenticeship
In this episode, we speak with, Russel Davis, Michigan State Director for the United States Depart of Labor, Office of Apprenticeships.
Russel discusses what makes up an actual registered apprenticeship and breaks down what the five basic components of an apprenticeship, and how they differ from any other work-based trainings.
If you are an employer looking to start a registered apprenticeship program, learn more at apprenticeship.gov.
In this episode, apprenticeship manager Wanda Bigelow sits down with John Hartwell, Career and Outreach Coordinator for Operating Engineers for 324 and talks about what operating engineers do and what an exciting trade it is to be in, every day being a new day.
John also walks us through the apprenticeship process, and the career process in the union, and working conditions. With an earn while you learn model, and pride in the trade, work ethic and leadership skills will take you anywhere.
In this episode, we sit down with Lynn Coleman, Director of Michigan Laborers Training and Apprenticeship Institute and Joel Archibald, Business Manager for Laborers International Local 75.
Lynn and Joel explain the construction trade, work ethic, and the importance and need of working from the ground up.
For more information on the Michigan Laborers’ Training and Apprenticeship Institute, please visit https://mltai.org.
For more information on the Laborers International local, please visit https://www.mi-laborers.org
In this episode, we sit down with Quentin Bishop, Executive Director of Lapeer Economic Corporation (LDC).
The LDC provides business services that are tailored to meet specific needs and has workforce partners like us, Pure Michigan Talent Connect, as well as WDA to ensure talent and businesses are connected.
Quentin explains the need of shifting our perspective of apprenticeships away from being only traditional trade jobs to a more diverse, multi-industry setting.
To learn more about Lapeer Development Corporation, please visit http://www.lapeerdevelopment.com or contact Quentin directly at quentin@lapeerdevelopment.com or on his cell 313-310-7634.
In this episode, we sit with Diana Allard, Director of Genesee ISD for Career and Technical Education.
Diana explains how Career Technical Education (CTE) programs bridge the gap between businesses and students by acting as the liaison between schools, the Genesee Career Institute and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, Office of Career and Technical Preparation with post secondary training.
For more information on Career and Technical Education Services, please visit https://www.geneseeisd.org/educational_programs/career_technical_education/cte_services
In this episode, we speak with Luke Zelley, CEO of the Disability Network, in honor of October being National Disability Month.
The Disability Network is a local, private non-profit in Genesee County that believes in a world where everyone has value. The Disability Networks connects people to businesses, with the thought process that everybody has potential. They help shine a light on traits that some would look at a person with a disability as a “weakness” and use it as a strength in the workforce.
Luke explains that if they can get people to rethink disabilities, it will remove the unconscious bias most people have for the disabled. Not everybody with a disability needs an accommodation. Their mission is to change the perception, the way people see others with disabilities, by being bold enough to have these conversations and change peoples minds about what a disability looks like or what it doesn’t look like, taking the disability “stigma” out of the workplace.
To learn more about the disability network, please visit https://www.disnetwork.org.
For a full transcript of this podcast, click here.
In this podcast, we chat with Executive Director of Huron County Community Foundation, Mackenzie Price Sundblad about the Huron County Community Foundation and learn more about the Young Professionals Network initiative.
The Huron Community Foundation supports a broad range of philanthropic interests in Huron County to support and improve the quality of life in Huron County. The foundation acts as helping partner in the community through challenges and opportunities through community education as well as create grants to address adaptive community needs.
The foundation’s goal is to retain and attract a talented workforce in creating dynamic and vibrant communities and cultivating an environment for business communities. In doing this, they have created an initiative known as the Huron County Young Professional Network. YPN exists to enhance talent retention rate by building the community. The goal is to provide networking opportunities for those in their 20s and 30s who live in and work in Huron County.
If you are interested in learning more about the Huron County Community Foundation, please visit: http://www.huroncountycommunityfoundation.org/mission
In this episode, we speak with Jim Mclessky, communications director for the Tuscola economic development corporation. Jim explains the role of the Tuscola EDC, the LEAD Tuscola Program and shares his favorite success stories.
The Tuscola EDC collaborates with businesses communicating any sales and staffing and issues, as well as addressing any pinch points the company might have. When possible, The EDC meets with each company’s CEO, plant director, and HR director to make sure all of their needs are met and Inform them of up to date state program information. As we all know, good two-way communication is the key to company success, business owners love the updates. The main issue companies have is finding good, reliable talent. The EDC aims to meet with all of the manufacturing and agriculture businesses at least once a year, as it’s easier to retain a company in your county than to recruit one to come.
Lead Tuscola is a 10-month program to introduce Tuscola County residents to programs and opportunities for local leadership. This 20-year-old program helps train future leaders either in business or community-based organizations. Lead Tuscola is always looking for more students. To learn more, please visit LeadTuscola.org
In this episode, we speak with Steve Wolbert, Co-Founder of SIPI on how the organization serves as a platform for change, transforming cities into economic hubs of opportunity for everyone.
SIPI- (Social Impact Philanthropy & Investment) has helped organize community programs to help people get jobs for the past four years. Steve and his team came from a number of different experiences that motivated them to want to empower people and organizations to do great things. SIPI Their strength shines through building operations, policies, and procedures. The SIPI team includes experts in operations, fundraising, IT, education and community development.
For more information on SIPI, visit https://www.sipi-inc.com or contact Steve Wolbert at steve@sipi-inc.com.
In this episode, we speak with guest Jeff Mason, CEO of Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
The MEDC works to transform the Michigan economy by growing and attracting business, keeping talented residents here and revitalizing urban centers. Their main goals consist of creating an image and promoting Michigan as a travel destination as they are keepers of the brand “Pure Michigan” on the Tourism side as well as market the state as a place to do business. They heavily focus on Community Vitality and Business development — expansion and attraction.
About Jeff Mason-
Jeff is the CEO of MEDC Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He is in charge of Implementing and executing MEDC’s core mission, business development and attraction, providing access to capital and improving Michigan’s image and brand. Prior to becoming the CEO of the MEDC, Jeff was the executive director of Michigan’s University research corridor, an alliance that was between U of M, MSU and Wayne State University that transforms, strengthens and diversifies Michigan’s economy.
For more information on MEDC, please visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/
In this episode, we speak with Penny Poplar, Program Director of the Flint Healthcare Employment Opportunities (FHEO) program.
The FHEO Program is a workforce development program, assisting unemployed residents of the community and dislocated workers from Flint and Genesee County assisting in training, employment, and educational opportunities in the healthcare industry. Those accepted into the FHEO Program are provided with free training and supportive services. They work with the state to see what careers are currently in demand, offer talent tours for a behind-the-scenes look in the healthcare industry.
Their parent company, Greater Flint Health Coalition, has been in great partnership with us here at GST MI Works! ever since we started implementing the FHEO program in 2008. They focus heavily on employer needs as well as the needs of the community to bring them together to help grow the program to bring in employers. The employers then determine the life skills needed and what trainings need to be offered. The FHEO helps them find their niche in the healthcare field and offers life skills training.
If you are a health care employer and you want to a part of a hands-on career exploration experience with thousands of high school students, you are welcome to join monthly quadrant meetings, to help plan and design My Career Quest event. The next meeting will be held on Monday, May 27th, at 3 pm. Call Jesse for more information at 989-635- 3561 Ext 236.
In this episode, we chat with Patricia Lucas, Executive Director of Lapeer Development Corporation on Economic Development.
The Lapeer Development Corporation works with businesses to help job creation and increase the tax base for the communities in the county through their capital investment. They help businesses with financing, workforce development, tax forms, and grant writing. The LDC also helps communities build community parks or parcels to help facilitate industrial development and economic development. Economic Development is greatly funded by Economic club members.
To learn more on the Lapeer Development Corporation please visit www.lapeerdevelopment.com or contact Patrica Lucas at patricia@lapeerdevelopment.com.
In this episode, we speak with two experts in the area of youth training programs in helping prepare individuals for workplace readiness: Youth and Data Specialist, Angela Libkie of GST Michigan Works! and James Avery, Director of Education and Training of the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce.
Angela Libkie highlights the STEP Into Work program. STEP (Summer Training and Employment Program) is designed to help get individuals ages 18-24 who are currently not working get proper training, career exploration and paid real-world work experience. This program starts in May, work experience starting in June with a two-week pre-employment boot camp followed by two hundred hours paid work experience.
James Avery describes TeenQuest, Career Edge and other programs offered in Genesee County. TeenQuest, offered in Genesee County to anyone ages 14-19 currently in high school with four sessions during the school year and one summer session. Each session is two hours a day, Monday - Friday, lasting five weeks helping students gain a variety of skills, especially the soft skills employers are seeking.
James Avery is Director of Education & Training at the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, the region’s premier business membership organization. In addition to providing traditional services for its members, the Chamber also serves as the lead economic development agency for Genesee County, operates the area’s convention and visitors bureau, and delivers education and training programs to meet the needs of the region’s growing workforce. To learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org.
If you are an employer interested in offering a work experience opportunity to youth in Genesee County, reach out to Angela Libkie at alibkie@gstmiworks.org or (810) 233-5974 X102.
Guest Kristen Zagorski Talks about the upper thumb Michigan STEM Network and its importance to both schools and businesses.
The newly legislated state network works with schools and businesses, promoting the impact of STEM careers on economic development across the state of Michigan and influencing career decisions to prepare students for their future. This state-led network has sixteen regions throughout the state of Michigan, each region granted their own director to allow a more unique approach to each region's localized area.
The Michigan STEM network, (standing for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) focuses on 4 main pillars: promoting the STEM culture by creating awareness to communities, empowering stem teachers to enhance a cross-curricular approach to teaching, integrate business and education to provide high-quality stem experience to all students. STEM doesn’t just apply to science, technology, engineering or math teachers. It is a cross-curricular approach to teaching as well as a method of problem-solving that is used in relation to one of those four areas, acting as a lens through which people can use to critically think and problem solve.
If you'd like to reach Kristen, you can email her at kzagorski@huronisd.org.
In this episode, we talk with Wanda Bigelow, Apprenticeship Success Coordinator on highlighting the benefits of the Apprenticeship readiness program. Apprenticeship readiness is designed to prepare young people and transitioning adults to enter and succeed in the workforce gaining hands-on experience. This program is a gateway to good middle-class jobs in the US construction industry.
Using different training centers, all students get introduced to the trade positions offered by local unions. When in training, they are given all of the skills they need; including life skills modules like personal values, financial literacy and money management. At the end of the training they are interviewed and although there is no guarantee of a job students have learned how to apply the curriculum in their day-to-day lives. There is no better teacher than being able to learn these skills first hand!
About Wanda Bigelow:
Wanda is a Business Solutions Professional/Apprenticeship Success Coordinator for GST Michigan Works! who works with employers and listens to their specific needs and is knowledgeable and able to educate employers of Michigan Works! programs that can help their business grow.
She also provides a linkage between industry standards, training providers, employers and apprentices while ensuring high-quality training, promoting apprenticeships and certification opportunities to diverse audiences and coordinate with various training providers and other community partners involved in skilled trades regarding delivery of information and problem resolution. Wanda also works with employers who are interested in creating Registered Apprenticeships with the Department of Labor.
This month is National Disability Month and we have a conversation with Alvin Brewer. Alvin Brewer is a Business Relations Consultant with the Business Network Division. His professional interests focus on job search assistance, placement, career development, and mentoring counselors and customers. His current projects include developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal and external partners and business customers, providing disability awareness to business customers and partners. Alvin was awarded the Good Government Symbol of Excellence – State of Michigan in 2014, the State of Michigan Special Recognition by State Representative Sherry Gay-Dagnogo of District 8 in 2015 and the Michigan Rehabilitation Services Champion Award – Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services in 2015. In his spare time Alvin enjoys fishing, hunting, coaching youth football, and Powerlifting. Alvin earned his bachelor’s in business administration/computer information systems from Baker College and his master’s in community counseling from Siena Heights University
In this episode, we talk with Jody Kerbyson about the role of BRNs and how they could help your business.