U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Located in:
  • III. Operational Planning Elements

    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above.  Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.  This section must include—

    • a. State Strategy Implementation

      The Unified or Combined State Plan must include–

      • 2. Implementation of State Strategy

        Describe how the lead State agency with responsibility for the administration of each core program or a Combined Plan partner program included in this plan will implement the State’s Strategies identified in Section II(c). above. This must include a description of—

III. a. 2. E. Partner Engagement with Educational Institutions

Describe how the State’s Strategies will engage the State’s community colleges and area career and technical education schools, as partners in the workforce development system to create a job-driven education and training system. WIOA section 102(b)(2)(B)(iv).

Current Narrative:

Through our State's strategies and priorities, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) will engage community colleges and CTE schools in the following ways:

Michigan Career Readiness Initiative

The Workforce Development actively participates in the Michigan Career Readiness Initiative (CRI) with partners from higher education, including community colleges, and CTE.  The Michigan Career Readiness Initiative (CRI) Cross-Sector Team supports multi- state agency collaboration and stakeholder engagement across education, career readiness and workforce development initiatives. Coordination across agencies, funding streams, and stakeholder groups help to ensure that funding is applied where it is most needed, addresses gaps and inequities, avoids duplication of effort, allows the state to focus resources on shared priorities and sustains consistent efforts on addressing these priorities across changes in state leadership.

Led by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE), the Michigan CRI Cross-Sector Team is an MDE strategy to engage stakeholders in action to transform Michigan’s Career Preparation System and achieve the career readiness goals identified in the Top 10 in 10 strategic plan. These long-term goals reflect and align to the recommendations set forth in the Study of Michigan’s Career and Technical Education and Career Readiness System (May 2016), the Governor’s Talent Investment Board resolution (Sept. 2016), the Governor’s 21st Century Education Commission (Feb. 2017), the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance (CPA) recommendations (June 2017), and The Marshall Plan for Talent (MPT) (Feb. 2018).

The CRI Cross-Sector Team consists of leaders in K-12 education, higher education, workforce development and business and industry. The CRI Planning Team consists of state staff across state agencies responsible for education, workforce development and labor market information along with education and employer stakeholders interested in planning and implementation.

The key objectives of the Michigan Career Readiness Initiative and Cross-Sector Team are:

  • Employer Engagement: Establish employer-driven processes informed by real-time, projected, and other labor market information (LMI) to determine high-skill, high-wage in-demand industry sectors or occupations with which career pathways and their associated credentials must be aligned.

 

  • Rigor and Quality in Scaled Career Pathways that Culminate in Credentials of Value for ALL Students: Use policy and funding levers to improve the quality and rigor of career pathways that span secondary and postsecondary, offer career development, blend rigorous and engaging core academic and career-technical instruction, include high-quality work-based learning experiences, and culminate in postsecondary or industry credentials of value.

 

  • Align State and Federal Funding Streams: Reorganize and intentionally align state and federal funding streams from education, workforce development, and economic development sources to effectively deliver career-focused programs to all students.

 

Career and Educational Advisory Councils

The Workforce Development (WD) issued policy specific to Career and Educational Advisory Councils (CEAC), as WIOA encourages local boards to establish a committee to focus on youth services and to provide a voice and perspective for youth.  To be effective, such committees should be composed of key personnel that work directly with youth.  In addition, Michigan PA 491 of 2006 states that Educational Advisory Groups (EAGs) are required by state law to serve in an advisory capacity to each of the 16 local Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) on educational issues.  Additionally, PA 265 of 2018 states the Career and Educational Advisory Council is an advisory council to the local WDB, located in the prosperity region, consisting of educational, employer, labor, and parent representatives.

The CEACs replaced the EAGs and will advise the 16 WDBs on career and educational issues.

This brings education and business together by establishing a formal entity and mechanism to build and maintain a collaborative partnership with local school districts, employers, post-secondary institutions, advocates, and training centers to identify significant talent needs in a community and collectively develop and implement training strategies to effectively meet employers’ talent needs.  The role of the CEAC is to advise the local workforce development board and encourage the alignment of the secondary and post-secondary Carl D. Perkins plans with local and regional strategic plans to address industry skill demand.  The CEAC is asked to review and comment on those plans. WD provides local guidance for the CEAC in each of the 16 WDBs’ Service Delivery Areas (SDAs).  Key guidance provided is:

  • Requires each WDB to have a CEAC acting as the EAG for the local SDA.
  • Re-certification of all CEACs is required for the time period of
    October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2021.
  • The CEAC reports pertaining to the WDB’s performance metrics, which include but are not limited to Registered Apprenticeships, establishing or participating in career pathway and exploration events, information pertaining to accomplishments, success stories, and best practices and promoting and positively impacting the Governor’s post-secondary credential attainment goal of 60 percent by 2030.
  • The CEAC will collaborate with the local Intermediate School District (ISD) Fiscal Agent in creating a Regional Strategic Plan as detailed in PA 265 of 2018, Section 61b.  The CEAC will approve and present this plan to the WDB for their approval.
  • Requires the WDB to maintain the approved local ISD Fiscal Agent’s Regional Strategic Plan, which the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD) may, upon 24-hour notice, review at the local administrative office.
  • The CEAC will collaborate with the MiSTEM Network as outlined in PA 265 of 2018, Section 99s(5)(a and f) in creating strategic plans that address employers' need for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills, including pathways for STEM careers, etc. 
  • The CEAC will collaborate with eligible recipients of Carl D. Perkins funds to conduct Comprehensive Local Needs Assessments (CLNAs), as required by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act – Perkins V.  The CLNA includes a description of how career and technical education programs offered are sufficient in size, scope, and quality to meet the needs of all students served in alignment with industry’s demand for talent.
  • The following will be submitted to WD annually on July 15 of each year to CEAC@michigan.gov: report detailing progress on meeting career and educational metrics, approved CEAC minutes, collaborative efforts with Perkins V and MiSTEM, and work on the ISD Fiscal Agent’s Regional Strategic Plan (as detailed in PA 265 of 2018, Section 61(b)).
     

SIXTY by 30

LEO has aligned its primary goal to support the Governor’s statewide post-secondary education goal:  Sixty (60) percent of Michigan residents complete a post-secondary certificate or degree by the year 2030.  This is an established statewide goal to increase the number of Michiganders between the ages of 16 and 64 with a post-secondary credential/obtainment to 60 percent by 2030.  LEO will partner with the Michigan Department of Education, local Michigan Works! Agencies and all core and non-core partners to address a growing talent shortage in the state’s workforce.   

Michigan Reconnect

The Michigan Reconnect Grant Program targets students 25-years of age and older who are high school graduates and have been a Michigan resident for at least one year.  This program would help to pay for training for non-traditional students who want to earn a certificate in the skilled trades or an associate degree to up-skill and qualify for local in-demand occupations.  The Michigan Department of Education will take the lead on this program, but LEO is committed to the partnership in assisting with the obtainment of skilled trades certificates or associate degree completion within our local and regional in-demand occupations.    

Career and Technical Education

Adult Education partners with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) at the secondary level to expand CTE programming opportunities for adult learners.  Adult Education providers must continue to partner locally with community colleges and higher education institutions.  These partnerships are necessary to identify the post-secondary education and training opportunities and respective entrance requirements to ensure adult education participants are prepared to transition to and succeed in post-secondary level course work upon completion of the adult education program.

 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education

The Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) programs under Section 243 of WIOA must be designed to prepare the English language learners, including professionals with degrees in from their native country, for employment in-demand industries.  The IELCE recipients will engage workforce partners and local employers to identify training opportunities that prepare individuals for employment in in-demand occupations and industries and include pathways for low-level English language learners to prepare for and transition to the IET program.

The adult education providers that receive Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE) funding under Section 243 of WIOA are required to partner with Michigan Works! Agency on the development of the IELCE program.  All applicants applying for IELCE funding must describe in the application their strategies for collaborating with the local workforce board and ensuring participants have access to the programs and services offered at the Michigan Works! Agency. 

Since the passage of WIOA, there has been increased collaboration and more frequent communication between the Michigan Works! Agencies and adult education providers, specifically those that offer IELCE programs. The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – Workforce Development (LEO-WD) has tried and will continue to facilitate and foster this partnership through the issuance of joint guidance and shared professional development for adult education providers and the Michigan Works! Agencies on integrated education and training (IET) to ensure common understanding of program requirements.  LEO-WD also awarded Title I discretionary funds to the Michigan Works! Agencies to support training for adult education participants enrolled in IET programs to incentivize IET program development and expansion across the state.  WD will continue to identify ways to support  greater collaboration between adult education providers and the Michigan Works! Agencies.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) – Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP)

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) – Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP).  MRS and BSBP have identified partnerships and collaboration with the State’s community colleges and area CTE schools as an engagement priority. VR will seek to develop and expand opportunities in this area.

To promote credential attainment and measurable skill gains, MRS and BSBP engage with community colleges and CTEschools through the following channels:

  • Signed Memorandums of Understanding with institution of higher education (IHE) to improve coordination of services provided to individual with disabilities enrolled at IHE and eligible for VR services.
  • Participate on the Michigan Association of Higher Education and Disability (MIAHEAD) to promoting equity, opportunities, and services for students with disabilities in higher education.
  • Local level collaboration, programs and Interagency Cash Transfer Agreements with IHE.
  • Under Michigan Department of Education, CTE collaborates with MRS and BSBP as part of the Michigan’s Employment First initiative.
  • MRS and BSBP have identified collaboration with the State’s community colleges and area CTE schools as a priority aligned with WIOA performance indicators and Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal.