LANSING — The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has awarded $16 million in job training grants to 297 businesses across the state through the Going PRO Talent Fund. The funding will support training for nearly 8,000 workers in high-demand industries.
The Going PRO Talent Fund is a state-funded grant program that helps employers train new hires and upskill current employees. According to the department, the latest round of funding will train 4,691 current workers and 3,227 new hires, including 1,788 Registered Apprentices.
Roughly 86% of this cycle’s recipients are small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. More than half are receiving the grant for the first time in at least six funding cycles. Since launching in 2014, the program has supported training for over 225,000 workers and 7,400 businesses statewide.
Workers who complete Talent Fund-supported training see an average hourly wage increase of 7.2%. The funding also supports apprenticeships, classroom instruction, and on-the-job training that lead to industry-recognized credentials.
Governor Whitmer has proposed $54.8 million in the next state budget to continue the program in Fiscal Year 2026. A full list of awardees is available at Michigan.gov/TalentFund.