Greetings! We hope you enjoy our November 2016 Newsletter!
A new Michigan Program ...
Today’s Skilled Trades offer an array of opportunities that challenge both mind and body. And not only in traditional fields, like construction and advanced manufacturing, but also in new and emerging fields, including healthcare and information technology!

Skilled trades offer opportunities for high school and college students. The State of Michigan has a great new website entitled Going PRO with Skilled Trades! It is a one-stop resource and features all kinds of information including expected salary ranges and a search tool to find open job opportunities. Spend some time on the site and see what rewarding cutting-edge careers are out there in the skilled trades area.

Frank Ferro, Manager of Governor's Talent Investment Board in Lansing said, "Going PRO is about helping students, parents and educators have the information they need to make informed decisions about the future. Too many people have outdated perceptions about the skilled trades, and we need to change them. There are outstanding opportunities for good-paying jobs right now, and there will be long into the future -- especially if Michigan can lead the nation in developing talent, attracting more businesses and helping the ones here now to expand."

Click on Going PRO image or link to view the website!
The Port of Monroe - Opening New Doors for Monroe County
BDC’s Board Meeting this month was hosted by the Port of Monroe’s Dale Brose, Chairman, and Paul LaMarre, Director. Paul presented information about the Port’s success and its role within Monroe County and the State of Michigan.

Within the past 4 years, the Monroe News has featured many articles on the happenings and the progress at the Port. The Port’s lobby is evidence to these many articles that are reminders of how much growth it has seen in this short period of time.
It was exciting to hear that the Port of Monroe receives cargo coming from Europe, and probably not many people in Monroe County know this is happening. Last year the Port welcomed its first European shipments in decades consisting of natural gas pipeline sections for the Rover pipeline and windmill blades destined to be mated with tower sections produced at Ventower Industries.

Paul stated that “cargo breeds cargo,” and “if you are able to demonstrate that you can move materials efficiently and economically more will undoubtedly cross your dock. Steadily increasing and ultimately record tonnage from 2012 through 2016 has been a direct result of cargo diversity and relationship building.” In 2016, the Port of Monroe and its stakeholders will have handled coal, limestone, synthetic gypsum, liquid asphalt, wind tower sections, crushed brick, as well as 130 shipping containers destined for Europe.

The Port of Monroe’s capabilities are far reaching, and no one knows the facts better than Paul. Dale stated that, “When meeting with potential clients requiring solutions to complex intermodal freight transportation problems, Paul has demonstrated the ability to apply his expertise in logistics, transportation, and the maritime industry to decisively and quickly resolve their problems, and in many cases before the client leaves the room. As a result of Paul's efforts, the Port of Monroe is quickly gaining a reputation with businesses requiring intermodal transportation as being a reliable, nimble and responsive partner." Paul is a third generation member of a family dedicated to the maritime industry and works to sustain its past, present and future.

Tim Lake shared, “in terms of economic development, the Port of Monroe opens up a whole new world for Monroe County and southeast Michigan. Monroe County businesses do not need to be located on a port to take advantage of a port.”

Our Board Members shared their thanks for hosting our meeting and bringing this information on the Port of Monroe to light.

In closing, Paul was asked if there is a public place where people can watch the Port in action. He shared that the best place to see what is happening at the Port is from the campground at the River Raisin Marina. There are many nights he remembers being out on the dock and seeing the flashes from across the water.
What is PTAC 
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) offer assistance and resources for companies wanting to learn about government contracting. They can help complete registrations and certifications, as well as assist with marketing strategies and everything else you need to sell to federal state and local government agencies.

Monroe County is lucky to have Leena Palmer's assistance, Unversity of Michigan's PTAC Program Manager. She will be in Monroe working from BDC's office each Monday.  To learn more about PTAC and the UofM programs that support businesses, click here .

Leena may be reached at 734-998-0155 or leenap@umich.edu.
And there is more ...
> The BDC would like to welcome its newest investor ... Kapnick Insurance Group.  To learn a little about this new investor, click here!

>> Did you take our Business Survey yet? We would like to gather data on local business needs so we may identify the general business climate of the county. If you haven't done so, please take a few minutes to help! The survey questions are general in nature about your company, operations and workforce needs. Please click the button below to access; it should be completed in one setting since incomplete surveys cannot be reaccessed. Your responses will be held in confidence and used only for the purposes stated above. We thank you for taking time to complete this survey!

>>> Workforce Intelligence Network of Southeast Michigan (WIN) released their 2016 Qtr 2 Reports covering the southeast Michigan labor shed and RPI Regions 6, 9 & 10.  These reports identify top-demand jobs and posting trends for the quarter and compare these findings to Q1 2016 as well as Q2 of previous years. These reports include data on wages offered in job postings as well as in-demand degree levels, areas of study, skills, and years of experience. WIN 2016 Quarter 2 Reports

  >>>> Did you know??  Per 2016 statistics, Monroe County businesses have the following number of employees per business:
  Please feel free to contact us anytime!
Tim Lake  |  Charlene Page  |  LuAnn Hogberg