To recognize Michigan’s urgent and growing need for talent and the programs and services in place to help and engage residents in employment, training and educational opportunities, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer encourages Michiganders to explore the many career pathways available to them during Career Exploration and Awareness Month, December 1 to 31.
“We want to make sure every Michigander has access to the tools and resources they need for career exploration at any stage in life,” said Whitmer. “Whether you’re a young student just launching your career, re-entering the workforce, or considering a change to your current profession, there are many resources at your disposal to help prepare you for high-demand, high-wage career pathways in Michigan.”
Individuals of all ages are encouraged to check out the Michigan Career and Education Pathfinder (Pathfinder) at Pathfinder.MiTalent.org to explore careers and identify educational opportunities throughout the state. Pathfinder was enhanced this fall to better support residents looking to make informed choices about educational and career options. This free tool uses current information related to employment and the workforce, as well as data about the relationship between education and training programs. It allows visitors to better match skills to career paths and jobs.
“All Michiganders should be able to discover successful pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s (LEO) Office of Employment and Training. “Career exploration tools are crucial in helping individuals find the path that suits them best, regardless of where they are at in their lives.”
LEO works closely with the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, within the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, to highlight career and labor trends in the state. These include Michigan’s Hot 50 report, which covers high-demand, high-wage careers that show a favorable mix of long-term job growth, projected annual job openings, and median wages; Michigan’s Career Outlook report, which provides multiple lists of in-demand occupations by education and training requirements; and Regional Career Outlook reports, which provides a breakdown of career outlook data in each of the state’s 10 regions.
For those looking for job opportunities available in the state, they should visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect. Found at MiTalent.org, this is the state’s system for connecting Michigan job seekers and employers. There are more than 100,000 jobs on the site right now.
Career Exploration and Awareness Month also ties into Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to increase the percentage of adults in the state with a postsecondary degree or credential by the year 2030. Michiganders interested in education beyond high school to gain the skills they need for rewarding careers are encouraged to explore free education and training resources like Skills to Work and the Michigan Reconnect program that provides free tuition to Michiganders age 25 and older.
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STATE
Lawyers allied with former president ordered to pay $175K in sanctions
By David Eggert
Associated Press
LANSING (AP) — Nine lawyers allied with former President Donald Trump were ordered last Thursday to pay Detroit and Michigan a total of $175,000 in sanctions for abusing the court system with a sham lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results.
The money, which must be paid within 30 days, will cover the legal costs of defending against the suit, which were more than $153,000 for the city and nearly $22,000 for the state.
U.S. District Judge Linda Parker, who agreed to impose sanctions in August in a scathing opinion, rejected most of the attorneys' objections to Detroit's proposed award, but she did reduce it by about $29,000. Those sanctioned include Sidney Powell, L. Lin Wood and seven other lawyers who were part of the lawsuit filed on behalf of six Republican voters after Joe Biden's 154,000-vote victory over Trump.
"Plaintiffs' attorneys, many of whom seek donations from the public to fund lawsuits like this one ... have the ability to pay this sanction," Parker wrote.
She previously ordered each of the lawyers to undergo 12 hours of legal education, including six hours in election law.
Michigan's top three elected officials — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, all Democrats — are seeking the disbarment of four of the nine attorneys, including Powell. She is licensed in Texas. The other three are admitted to practice in Michigan.
Powell could not be reached for comment. Wood said he will appeal the order.
"I undertook no act in Michigan and I had no involvement in the Michigan lawsuit filed by Sidney Powell," he said in an email. Wood's name was on the lawsuit, but he has insisted he had no role other than to tell Powell he would be available if she needed a seasoned litigator.
Powell is best known for saying she would "release the kraken," a mythical sea creature, to destroy Biden's claim on the White House. But baseless lawsuits in Michigan and elsewhere went nowhere, and even the Trump campaign's legal team moved to distance itself from her.
"There are consequences to filing meritless lawsuits to grab media attention and mislead Americans," Benson, the state's chief election official, said in a statement. "The sanctions awarded in this case are a testament to that, even if the dollar amounts pale in comparison to the damage that's already been done to our nation's democracy."
