Oakland County Michigan Works! recognized a local manufacturer, state legislator and local non-profit agency for their exemplary efforts in supporting the growth of the county’s workforce in 2019.
The honorees are Barron Industries of Oxford, State Sen. Rosemary Bayer of Beverly Hills, and Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. The presentation took place Dec. 5 at a special meeting of the Oakland County Workforce Development Board held at the Iroquois Club in Bloomfield Township.
“It has been a very busy and exciting year for Oakland County Michigan Works! and this year’s honorees each played key roles in the agency’s success,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “This recognition is well deserved. We appreciate the commitment the honorees have made to workforce development and look forward to working with them for years to come.”
Barron Industries of Oxford, a manufacturer of engineered metal components for applications across the globe, was selected as Business of the Year. The company engaged Oakland County Michigan Works! in 2018 to help it fill critical skilled trades openings. Barron launched an on-the-job training program with OCMW help and financial support from the state’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program. To date, Barron has hired and trained 14 people for a variety of positions, including casting technicians, mold technicians, finishing specialists and other roles.
“Working closely with us, Barron was able to meet and exceed its contract demands and has now acquired a new 10,000 square-foot manufacturing plant to increase production capacity for precision machined castings and assemblies,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, director of Oakland County Michigan Works! and manager of workforce development for the county. “The company plans on growing its workforce by more than 30 percent in the future.”
Bayer, who represents the 12th House District, was selected as Legislator of the Year for her continued support and engagement with the Oakland County Michigan Works! team, Llewellyn said. This included visiting agency offices to learn about their programs and services and engage with staff members and job seekers. She also has included Oakland County Michigan Works! in town hall events. Bayer has supported many state-funded workforce development initiatives, including the Going PRO Talent Fund.
“I’m honored and simply thrilled to receive this award from Oakland County Michigan Works!” Bayer said. “I’m immensely impressed with all that this organization does for our residents and businesses. It’s been a pleasure and privilege to work with them and support workforce development in Oakland County.”
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit was selected as Partner of the Year for its leadership and the effective transition of the Michigan Works! office in Pontiac, as well as consolidation of the Novi and Highland offices. Llewellyn said Goodwill Industries’ is committed to Pontiac and building trust and relationships with key community partners.
“Goodwill industries is an example of how government and non-profits can work collaboratively to leverage resources and manpower to transform lives,” Llewellyn said. “Goodwill has established two highly effective Michigan Works! locations in Oakland County with a commitment to equity, access and economic self-sufficiency for all.”
As part of the meeting, Llewellyn also shared a number of operational highlights from the past year:
• The six Oakland County Michigan Works! offices hosted 281,110 on- and off-site visits.
• The agency exceeded all Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act performance standards.
• Oakland County Michigan Works! helped 68 companies secure $1.8 million in Going PRO Talent Funds to train 1,469 people, including 45 apprentices.
• Over 1,300 high school students participated in Oakland County Manufacturing Day and toured 48 Oakland County manufacturing companies.
• More than 9,000 students and chaperones from 160 high schools across Southeast Michigan participated in MiCareerQuest Southeast. Students were exposed to more than 200 occupations in advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and information technology, and engaged with over 1,000 industry professionals.
• The Oakland County Business Resource Network was launched with 12 companies committed to addressing employee turnover and providing support to employees with barriers to retaining employment.
Oakland County Michigan Works! operates service centers for job seekers and businesses in six communities: Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy and Waterford. The agency helps more than 45,000 job seekers prepare for careers and conduct job searches each year. It also provides services to businesses including talent recruiting and retaining support, training support and labor market information.
For additional information, visit OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.
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