The Berrien Talent Collaborative has received a $500,000 state funding boost to help support workforce and economic development in Southwest Michigan.

On Tuesday, the talent collaborative made up of Lake Michigan College, Berrien RESA, Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, and the Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce, held a press conference celebrating the start of something new. Lake Michigan College President Trevor Kubatzke says this program will help keep southwest Michigan talent here in Southwest Michigan.

“Powerful day. And really it’s not how it benefits any one of our organizations, it’s how it benefits our community. Without a vibrant community, none of us survive. So that’s why partnering now is more important than ever. We don’t do it alone. When we do it alone, it doesn’t get done well. And so this collaborative and the faith that the state of Michigan is putting in us with this donation is just outstanding.”

The Berrien Talent Collaborative will use the state funding to develop and build registered apprenticeship programming involving junior and senior high school students for work based learning opportunities in Berrien County.

State Representative Joey Andrews tells us this will only help the region even more.

“I think this is going to be looked at as one of those projects that really started to change the direction of things here. I’m excited to see what comes for the next few years, but being able to get young people into trades-related jobs, manufacturing, things that don’t necessarily need them to go to college, maybe they don’t even know is available to them, I think that’s what’s going to be really important about this. I’m really hopeful we’re going to see this grow fast.”

This collaborative is the first countywide effort of its kind in the state. For more information, visit the Berrien Talent Collaborative website.