Job Seekers
Oakland County Michigan Works! provides a broad range of services to help job seekers. The following is a glimpse of our customer stories and how they overcame a variety of challenges in their quest to secure their next career opportunities:
Woman Interested in Career Change Uses Apprenticeship to Find New Direction
Amanda, a cosmetologist, decided it was time to explore another career. From the moment she joined a “Women that Weld” training program, she recognized this was what she wanted to do. Oakland County Michigan Works! knew one of its business clients, transportation industry supplier FEV North America, had a robust apprenticeship program for skilled trades. Amanda enrolled in a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) adult program for more advanced on-the-job training, plus classroom instruction. She recently completed the first year of a four-year program. The apprenticeship has changed her life and given her new confidence about her future and chosen career path.
Layoff Prompts Experience Worker to Tackle New Challenge
William, 55, found himself unemployed after 33 years as an engineer at a Detroit-area digital media company. He wanted to stay in the technical field. Oakland County Michigan Works! helped open the door for William to pursue a new career in advanced manufacturing. He took advantage of the state’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and successfully completed the Programmable Logical Controls (PLC) & Robotic Technician Program at Oakland Community College. He is now employed full-time as a field service technician for a thermal food processing company.
Sole Earner Uses Training Funds to Advance Career
Zerina, 22, worked as a pharmacy technician but, as her family’s sole earner, she needed to pursue a better career opportunity and pay. Using the federal Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, Oakland County Michigan Works! helped her pay to enroll in a certified nurse aide (CAN) training program. She is now working at a medical clinic, where she was elevated to medical assistant and has plans to become a physician’s assistant.
Displaced Auto Worker Switches to In-Demand Health Care Career
Mark, 31, lost his production job at an automaker and was committed to finding a more stable career path. Working with Oakland County Michigan Works!, he took advantage of the state’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and returned to school to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) with plenty of job opportunities throughout the region.
Military Vet Earns Updated IT Certification and Secures New Job
Steven, 55, a U.S. military veteran, lost his job as an IT systems architect. He knew he would have to update his technical certifications to land a new position. Oakland County Michigan Works! enrolled him in the Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope (PATH) and Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act programs. Steven secured training funds to earn an IT Specialist Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. He is now employed by a local U.S. government services provider.
Young Woman Takes Advantage of On-the-Job Training for New Beginning
Nicole, 23, worked a number of jobs after high school, but finding her career niche was elusive. Oakland County Michigan Works! helped her complete a skills assessment and identify an interest in pursuing a career as an administrative assistant, with the goal of finding a long-term position that provided stability. She secured a full-time clerk position with the treasurer’s department for the city of Southfield, which included on-the-job training.
Employers
Oakland County Michigan Works! is committed to assisting employers with their efforts to attract, nurture and retain talent across the job spectrum. The following are testimonials from employers who have benefitted from our services:
Training Support
Barron Industries, Oxford, MI
“Our partnership with Oakland County Michigan Works! has helped us train both current and new employees, which we’ve recruited through the Pure Michigan Talent Connect system.”
Hiring Support
Williams International, Pontiac, MI
“We’re in critical need of skilled workers in our facility and Oakland County Michigan Works! has acted proactively in suggesting resources to help us capture talent . . . they’ve also introduced us to many initiatives the state and other organizations are investing in to create talent pipelines.”
On-the-Job Training
Teledyne LeCroy, Farmington Hills, MI
“For over a year, our company has worked with Oakland County Michigan Works! to help with interns for various positions at our office . . . The financial compensation the state provides these interns allows us to work with them and provide real on-the-job training for their future careers.”
Youth Programs
City of Southfield, Southfield, MI
“The Southfield treasurer’s office has maintained an excellent relationship with Oakland County Michigan Works!, giving young people the opportunity to receive much needed work experience for a successful career . . . The skills learned provide building blocks that will help them in their future.”
Talent Recruitment
GMB Korea Corporation, Southfield, MI
“It can be difficult to find qualified candidates. Thankfully, Oakland County Michigan Works! has been able to bridge the talent gap for us. They allocate time and resources to our needs and help spread the word about our positions, which has been very helpful.”
Youth
On-the-Job Training Helps Prepare Student for Nursing School and Beyond
It is never too early to start preparing for a career and building a network of working professionals to help you launch it.
Waterford student Logan Coopersmith, 18, knew from an early age he wanted to pursue a career in medicine. He attended the Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Pontiac, where he completed classes in health sciences and pharmacology.
The Pontiac office of Oakland County Michigan Works helped arrange long-term on the job training at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland in Pontiac. There, Logan completed rotations in the critical care unit, emergency department and intensive care unit. He holds numerous certifications in these areas and is currently working toward a pharmacy technician certification. He knows he has been fortunate to work with so many great nurses and doctors at the hospital.
Today, Logan uses his skills as a an EMT for the Waterford Fire Department. This fall, he will be attending Eastern Michigan University, with plans to enroll in the school’s nursing program. He attributes his early career success to date to his support system, which includes his mother, grandparents and other family members. Logan also knows the team at the Oakland County Michigan Works! played a key role in helping him gain valuable work experience while he was still in high school.
Logan looks forward to making a positive difference in people’s lives, just like so many others have made on his young life and career to date.
Oakland County Michigan Works! Helps Young Adult Find a Rewarding Career
Young people sometimes struggle with determining what is next after high school. There is no clear path to success for everyone. Area resident Nicole Bird, 23, faced such a challenge after her graduation.
She took a few college courses but decided sitting in a classroom was not for her. She worked, but finding her niche was elusive. Nicole finally sought assistance from the Southfield office of Oakland County Michigan Works! last year to find a rewarding career path.
Working with the Michigan Works! team, Nicole completed a skills assessment and identified an interest in pursuing a job as an administrative assistant. In 2017, she secured a full-time clerk position with the treasurer’s department for the City of Southfield, which provided comprehensive on-the-job training. In her role, she helps residents pay their utility and tax bills. This includes explaining their payment options and other programs available to assist them.
Nicole appreciated the support and encouragement provided by the Southfield office staff, as she pursued a long-term position. In fact, she has adopted a similar approach when working with the city residents, treating them with respect and fairness – just as she was treated during her engagement with Oakland County Michigan Works!