Michigan Works! West Central Quarterly eNewsletter – Vol. 1, Ed. 3
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Michigan Works! West Central hosts virtual
MiCareerQuest West Central
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MiCareerQuest West Central is the premiere hands-on career-exploration and college-readiness event for high school students in our region. In 2020, we hosted more than 1,300 students during our first-ever MiCareerQuest event, which was held at Ferris State University.
However, due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event looked a bit different. Michigan Works! West Central hosted its first-ever virtual MiCareerQuest West Central in April!
Michigan Works! agencies across the region always are being asked how to connect employers, schools and students. During a "normal" year, MiCareerQuest does that, featuring hundreds of enthusiastic working professionals in a broad range of jobs.
This year, we presented information about career paths and employers in our region to more than 2,000 10th-grade students in six counties through these videos. Check out our industry-sector videos by clicking on the image above! Leave a comment on our YouTube channel if you like what you see!
To see a complete list of this year's generous sponsors, participating employers and event partners, click here.
We can't wait to return to an in-person event in 2022!!
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Jacob Riggs earns Impact Award |
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At a young age, Jacob Riggs enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. At age 11, he took apart his first engine to see how it worked.
He was hooked!
Now 19 years old, Jacob has taken his passion for using his hands and turned it into a budding successful career as a mechanic for the Lake County Road Commission.
Jacob, who graduated from the Heavy Equipment Mechanic program at a nearby Career Technical Education center in spring 2019, had successfully interviewed for a position as a mechanic with the road commission. However, he needed an additional credential before he could start working. The road commission was so impressed with Riggs’ interview and capability as a mechanic that they offered to hold the position for him while he completed training to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
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Click the above video to see Riggs virtually receive the 2021 Impact Award from the Michigan Works Association. |
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"Jacob’s personality helped him stand out,” said LeRoy Williams, road commission operations manager. “When he came into the interview, he was really upbeat and engaging. He did well on the practical test, especially for a young as he is.”
Jacob came to Michigan Works! West Central to see about funding assistance to obtain his CDL through Pinnacle Truck Driver Training in Cadillac.
Spoiler alert, he quickly earned his CDL, ... but his story doesn't end there. To read Jacob's full story and learn why he was selected for the annual Impact Award, click here. |
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Showcasing Success
Job Seeker and Employer Success Stories from Region 4A
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The Perfect Prescription for Success |
MASON COUNTY – Kristen had moved home from Grand Valley State University after deciding that pre-med was not the route she wanted to go. She felt defeated and wasn’t sure what she was going to do with her life.
She knew she still wanted to work in healthcare, but wasn't sure where. While she worked to figure out her new education and employment path, she found work as a nurse technician at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.
Inspiration struck while working at the hospital. She decided to pursue a career as a registered nurse, saying she was "meant for nursing."
She came to the Michigan Works! West Central service center in Ludington seeking assistance with the nursing program.
“Patients need good care in these times during the pandemic," she said. "I am so proud that I can be one of the team members giving them care in our community.”
See other Success Stories from Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana and Osceola counties by clicking here.
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Calling All Young Adults! |
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Michigan Works! West Central now enrolling
18-24-year-old adults in work-experience program
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Michigan Works! West Central’s Young Adult Services program can help you gain the skills necessary to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce! Let us help you obtain the education, training and experience you need to move your career forward! We can help you take charge of your future!
If you are ready to work, we can help. We are looking for young adults who meet any of the below criteria:
- Ages 18-24.
- Getting ready to graduate from high school.
- About to finish or start their GED.
- A teen parent or in foster care.
- Getting ready to enter the workforce.
- Looking for your next step.
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Michigan Works! West Central’s Young Adult Services program also can offer the following:
- Virtual Job Shadow Opportunities
- Training Funding Assistance
- On-the-Job Training
- Work Experience
For more information about our Young Adult Services and to see if you qualify, click here.
If you are an employer and would like more information about making a connection with the next generation of the workforce, please contact us!
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JOB SEARCH TIP OF THE MONTH |
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"Your 'Thank you' Matters"
After you interview, consider writing a genuine and original "Thank You" note (one for each interviewer, if possible). The speed with which you send these notes and their quality will make a strong impact
These thank you notes could be the difference between hiring you and someone who has the same education and work experience.
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We're completely redoing our website! |
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During the past several months, we have been working with a team of developers to completely revamp our website to give it a fresh, modern look! We're very pleased with the way it's going to look, and think you will be too!
The image at the right is just a small sample of what the new website will look like.
Not only are we redoing our website, we're also going to be implementing a new, easier-to-remember domain! Soon, you'll be able to visit us as the much simpler web address MWWC.org.
Along with the new domain and website, we'll also be changing our email extensions in June to @MWWC.org. We'll still be able to receive emails to our current address extensions when the change is made, but after several months those addresses will be phased out, so be sure to update us in your email contacts when the time comes!
Keep an eye on our social media profiles to get the most up-to-date information about the coming website and email changes!
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Michigan Works! West Central
Featured on 9&10 News, ... Twice in One Day!
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No joke!
On April 1, 9&10 News Videographer Zach Razminas reached out to us to interview our Executive Director Shelly Keene about Jacob Riggs' Impact Award (see top story in newsletter). About 20 minutes before the interview started, we got a call from 9&10 News Reporter Eric Lloyd seeking comment on a different story about unemployment rates!
The two journalists did not coordinate with each other, and had no idea they were both seeking comment from Michigan Works! West Central.
To save the second reporter a trip to Big Rapids, we got creative!
In the picture above, you can see Shelly being interviewed on camera by Zach, while video chatting with Eric on his cell phone. Both journalists said it was first-time experience for them! Us, too!
To view 9&10 News' story on Jacob Riggs, click here, and to see the story on declining unemployment rates, click here. |
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