Going PRO Talent Fund

Locating, training and retaining talent remains a top business challenge for manufacturers and the Going PRO Talent Fund has been a critical tool since 2014. More than $55 million is available to Michigan employers for Fiscal Year 2025, which extends from 10/1/24 to 9/30/25.

Since 2014, the Going PRO Talent Fund has provided more than $170 million to more than 7,000 Michigan employers with an average award amount of $39,547.

Two independent and one employer-led collaborative application cycle will be available for Fiscal Year 2025.

NEW FOR 2025: A separate authorization request must be submitted for each physical address of your company where workers who need training are assigned. Beginning in FY25, employers will not be permitted to combine multiple sites into one application.

What is the Going PRO Talent Fund?

The Going PRO Talent Fund awards funds to employers for training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.

MMA has fought hard since 2014 to secure an increasing pool of funding available through the Michigan’s vital Going PRO Talent Fund, a crucial resource of employer grants for talent solutions.

Eligible Training

Training programs funded by the Going PRO Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by Industry.

• Classroom or Customized training
• On-the-job Training for new employees
• Apprenticeships for first-year US Department of Labor (USDOL) Registered Apprentices.

Check out MMA Workforce Solutions for eligible training from MMA partners.

Reimbursement for Training

• Up to $2,000 per person for classroom or customized training
• Up to $2,000 per person for on-the-job training for new employees
• Up to $3,500 per person for USDOL Registered Apprenticeships
• An extra $500 for hiring a veteran, active military reservist, older employee (55+), Justice Involved Citizen, individual with disability or public assistance recipient

How Does My Company Apply?

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity awards funds to employers through Michigan’s workforce system, commonly known as the Michigan Works! network. Michigan Works! Business Services staff conduct fact-finding sessions with employers to assess their talent and skill gaps, suitable training providers and availability of federal funding sources. Business Services staff then help employers to access the state’s online application system known as WBLOMS.

Employer-Led Collaboratives (ELCs)

An ELC brings together multiple employers (a minimum of two), education and training institutions, workforce development organizations, and other applicable partners to formulate training and education solutions to fill identified talent gaps. Successful ELCs solve a common or shared workforce problem. ELC applications are accepted until Going PRO funds are exhausted.

• True formal collaboration through which a strategic effort determined that an issue shared by all the participating companies will be solved or positively addressed by the agreed upon classroom training
• Formal organization or demonstrated history of partnership
• Companies must include in their rationales how they will effectively collaborate with the other companies participating in the ELC after the training to solve the shared issue
• Limited funds set aside
• Classroom training only
• Exception for employers holding shared OJT USDOL Registered Apprenticeship training standards
• 4+ separate companies; minimum request $1,000 total
• Entirely separate application and scoring criteria
• One independent award and one ELC award per location
• ELC application opening March 24, 2025

Contact MMA’s Bill Rayl to discuss how you can leverage the power of collaboration to increase your competitiveness while creating, training and filling in-demand jobs.

Resources

• Program Overview
• Fact Sheet
• FY24 Going PRO Talent Fund Employer Guide
• WBLOMS Employer Training Guide Fiscal Year 2024
• WBLOMS video tutorial: FY24 Independent Application
• WBLOMS video tutorial: Employer Sign in and Authorization Request
• WBLOMS video tutorial: FY23 Industry-Led Collaboratives (ELC) Application Walkthrough
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Fiscal Year 2023

 

David Q. Worthams
Director of Employment Policy
Call 517-487-8511
E-mail worthams@mimfg.org