Hope may soon be on the horizon for more than 350 displaced workers in Macomb and St. Clair counties thanks to a re-employment program offered at Wayne State University's Macomb Education Center. The program is made possible by a grant from the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board (an administrative entity of the Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works Agency) to the Executive & Professional Development division of Wayne State University (WSU EPD).
Wayne State's EPD, which provides training, executive education, consulting and executive coaching for metropolitan Detroit businesses and organizations, won the bid in large part because of its comprehensive Employment Transition Program (ETP). By Sept. 30, Wayne State projects that more than 350 displaced, white-collar workers will participate in the newly established re-employment program. According to Terry Margolis, director of educational outreach and executive and professional development at Wayne State, the Employment Transition Program offers these individuals unique and personalized professional education and individual coaching.
"Participants will have an opportunity to engage in four, one-on-one coaching segments," she explained, "and, as a result, each case will be addressed on a completely individualized basis. Once these relationships are established, our experts will provide feedback and work closely with the participants to develop a personal strategic plan to meet their employment goals."
In addition to one-on-one professional coaching, the program includes four key components:
• Individual Assessment: Comprehensive online tools assess each participant's personality, professional interests and workplace skills.
• Education Workshops: Focused workshops help transitioning professionals sharpen their job search skills in resume and cover-letter writing, networking and interview preparation.
• A Small Business Workshop Series: Interactive workshops help participants evaluate their entrepreneurial abilities and business concepts to drive the creation of a compelling business proposition.
• Networking Events: Informal events allow participants to build a community of professionals with whom they can connect and engage to overcome barriers to entry into the workforce. Events also include group discussion sessions on such relevant topics as personal branding, honing the "elevator speech" and managing change.
Wayne State's Employee Transition Program trains participants to take a strategic approach to the achievement of their career objectives by helping them sharpen specific skills and cultivate a professional network to gain a competitive edge in today's scarce job market.
WSU's Executive & Professional Development division has more than 25 years of experience representing more than 300 clients in 15 different industries that include executive education, business training and consulting. The program is specifically designed for displaced white-collar workers in management, administration, engineering, design, technology and other professional occupations.
"We are honored by the confidence the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board has placed in Wayne State University and its Executive & Professional Development division to help displaced workers achieve significant re-employment results," said Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs . "We take this charge very seriously and are eager to help expedite the transition of these talented individuals back into the workforce as soon as possible."
Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.