Oakland County, Michigan/Workforce Development/Employers/Business Services/Business Workshops

Business Workshops

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Employer Virtual Workshop Series

 Oakland County Michigan Works! Employer Workshop Series

​Join the Oakland County Michigan Works! Business Service Team and featured guest speakers to discuss and explore educational and informative topics geared towards workforce needs of employers.

 Upcoming Events

Networking for Talent in a Pandemic World

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 | 10 a.m. - Noon

There is no going back to the pre-pandemic workplace. Organizations and individuals have no choice but to discover new ways of working together. It's critical to learn how to adapt to this new environment and recognize how networking has changed, and what skills are required to truly succeed in engaging with your customers and workforce. Oakland County Michigan Works! is hosting a virtual panel discussion, "Networking for Talent in a Pandemic World," led by experts in workforce recruitment and marketing, business growth, and culture-shifting efforts for business.

  • Learn how to effectively brand your company in a pandemic world
  • Identify new networking tools available to everyone
  • Improve your networking skills, adapting to the new normal as our country moves forward
  • Enhance your recruiting efforts, build your workforce and grow your business

The pandemic has uncovered new networking trends and opportunities. We can now network from anywhere and at any time. With networking tools and platforms, we can gain more insight about a person than ever before.

Hosted by: 

Emma Gougeo, Marketing and Community Affairs Coordinator, Entech Staffing Solutions – workforce recruitment / development / marketing 

Marie Hauswirth, Executive Director, Waterford Chamber 

Chad Ever, Founder/COO, Ever Studios – culture-shifting efforts for business professionals

Learn More: Workshop Info Sheet


Register Now

Going PRO Talen Fund - Info Sessions

CHOOSE THE SESSION BEST FOR YOU 

 Going PRO Talent Fund FY22 Info Sessions - Info Sheet


  • August 23, 2021 
    2 to 3:30 p.m. 
  • August 24, 2021
    9 to 10:30 a.m. 
  • August 26, 2021
    9 to 10:30 a.m. 
  • August 31, 2021
    2 to 3:30 p.m. 
  • September 2, 2021
    9 to 10:30 a.m. 
  • September 3, 2021
    9 to 10:30 a.m. 
  • September 7, 2021
    2 to 4 p.m. | Register Here
  • September 9, 2021
    2 to 4 p.m. | Register Here

 Past Events

​Opening Your Doors to International Talent

Closing the skills gap and building your future workforce with people from other countries.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. EST


Southeast Michigan faces a critical STEM talent gap that is only expected to widen in the future, as baby boomer retirements accelerate. Unless something changes, experts predict the continuous introduction of advanced technologies will lead to more than 2.4 million unfilled jobs in STEM fields by 2028, due to a lack of skilled candidates.

There is a solution, however, to address this workforce challenge: highly qualified international students can fill the skills gap. They can use OPT to work for American employers for up to three years without visa sponsorship. This interactive workshop, led by the professionals at Global Detroit, will show companies how to take advantage of this international STEM talent pipeline and others. In addition, they will also discuss the topic of hiring skilled immigrants and refugees.

Global Detroit is a regional economic and community development organization, focusing on immigrants and global talent

Get an Inside Look at Internship
Engage talented young people and build your future workforce.

Tuesday, June 15, 2021 | 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Internship programs continue to grow in popularity despite the COVID-19 pandemic, providing employers in a variety of industries with access to young talent, while young people ages 16-24 obtain valuable work experience.

A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers this spring indicated 43 percent of businesses plan to offer hybrid internship programs this summer and beyond, featuring both in-person and remote experiences. The poll also revealed 38 percent plan to exclusively offer virtual internships, with 13 percent plan to offer just in-person experiences.

This free workshop hosted by Oakland County Michigan Works! in partnership with Oakland Community College will provide you with a valuable introduction to internship programs:

Workshop Structure:

  • Discussion of the frustrations that entrepreneurs face in building a company for long-term success in today’s business environment
  • Overview of the Entrepreneurial Operating System® or EOS®, a set a simple, practical concepts and practical tools to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals by attracting great people, customers and investors
  • Importance of maintaining discipline and transparency to build a business that thrives on a consistent use of proven processes

Achieving Business Success through Shared Accountability

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Small and mid-sized grow-oriented businesses led by entrepreneurial leadership teams face a myriad of challenges, including how to build effective teams that share their drive and vision. It is not uncommon for an organization’s leaders to feel the business is stuck in neutral, especially in the midst of a pandemic.

This free, virtual workshop highlights the six key components to turn a business’s frustration to “elation” – led by building a greater sense of accountability throughout your organization.

Workshop Structure:

  • Discussion of the frustrations that entrepreneurs face in building a company for long-term success in today’s business environment
  • Overview of the Entrepreneurial Operating System® or EOS®, a set a simple, practical concepts and practical tools to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals by attracting great people, customers and investors
  • Importance of maintaining discipline and transparency to build a business that thrives on a consistent use of proven processes

Addressing Employee Turnover

Helping Employees Overcome Common Obstacles on the Job to Keep Them Happy and Productive

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Good employees are invaluable and keeping them is a priority. Learn why many employees struggle to hold onto a job and at least one solution to helping them stay employed. 

This free, virtual workshop highlights the Oakland County Business Resource Network (BRN), an employer-led program that addresses a variety of concerns causing employee turnover and disengagement. The goal: employee retention. 

Assistance from success coaches in existing BRN programs can increase employee retention to 90 percent or higher*, saving companies thousands of dollars in training costs per employee. 

*ERN-USA 2019

Workshop Structure:

  • Review of employee turnover trends, using data from the most recent Oakland County Turnover Study 
  • Overview of employer and employee concerns addressed by the Business Resource Network, including success stories from current members 
  • Key role of success coaches from Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency (OLHSA) in helping employees 
  • Fee structure and contract requirements for joining the Business Resource Network


Hiring Veterans - How to Turn America’s Heroes into Valued Employees

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 | 10 a.m. - Noon

U.S. veterans of all ages provide unique skill sets which are often transferable to the civilian workforce. Providing them with challenging employment opportunities benefits everyone, helping them transition home and strengthening your team.

Join us remotely for a special, free workshop for employers, designed to increase your general understanding of how to find, hire and retain America’s heroes.

Workshop Structure:

  • Using Onet to evaluate military skills for civilian positions
  • Finding and accessing the veteran workforce
  • Making your company veteran friendly and veteran attractive
  • Retaining veteran employees