MI Bright Future

 

MI Bright Future is a real-world career development tool, providing direct links between students and employers: powered by technology, advanced through partnership.

Proactive companies can use MI Bright Future to connect with tomorrow’s brightest talent. Through an easy-to-use online interface, companies can reach high school students on a platform they are already using for career development to make them aware not only of careers and industries, but also of many types of activities that can influence their future path, including company tours, job shadows, and internships.

According to WIN data, job demand has been on the rise for the past 5 consecutive quarters in Michigan. While many positions providing a great quality of life are hiring, the youth unemployment rate is still rising as students struggle to find their way to these paths. Too few students and jobseekers are completing the training programs, certifications, or university degrees needed to meet demand for skilled employees.

A great communication divide exists between education and industry, resulting in too many students amassing huge amounts of student loan debt, only to complete degrees in fields that do not allow them to be competitive in today’s job market.

Students who are able to connect to local companies and participate in hands-on career development experiences while they are still in school have a greater chance of persisting in the appropriate education and training to become successful in their careers.

Companies that are able to connect to students at this early stage have a greater chance of building a pipeline of new team members while influencing educational outcomes.

WIN has recognized the need for students to have better information about the careers that will be available to them when they complete their education. Once they know their options, they need to have a real-life experience that will confirm the chosen career path. WIN acted as a regional collaborator to bring southeast Michigan secondary education experts together to address the talent pipeline. To support the development of a skilled, educated, and experienced talent pipeline is a key goal of WIN’s work, as this supports the economic health of the community and the state.