(Adrian, July 31st, 2023) Senator Joe Bellino has successfully secured $10 million for a new workforce development center in Adrian MI. Lenawee Now economic development will oversee and execute this transformative initiative.
This important investment into the future of Lenawee County is a testament to Senator Bellino’s unwavering commitment to economic growth and workforce development across Lenawee and southeast Michigan. It will facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art workforce development center on the east side of Adrian. The center aims to empower residents with essential skills and knowledge to keep pace with the evolving job market demands and prepare people of all ages for success.
Lenawee Now economic development is leading this endeavor and will ensure the workforce development center’s effective operation providing education, training, and professional development opportunities to benefit the community. This plan underscores Lenawee Now’s commitment to being a regional leader in workforce development and economic prosperity. Lenawee Now has been developing and incubating “The Align Center for Workforce Development” headed by Randy Yagiela for the past 5 years and is ready to start services quickly.
The funding for this transformational project is to be held at the Lenawee Community Foundation. “Healthy communities are growing communities and this investment supports economic growth. It expands opportunities for people to get training for good-paying, high-demand careers so they can support themselves and their families”, said Bronna Kahle, CEO of the Lenawee Community Foundation. “I am pleased to see this funding for our community. This transformational investment delivers more resources to one of our community’s top priorities—our people”, stated Kahle.
Executive Director of Lenawee Now, Patrick Farver states, this new center will give us the opportunity to fundamentally change and improve our community in a massive way. We look forward to getting started quickly and collaborating with many other organizations to provide much-needed services and training for all areas of Lenawee County. What we do will not replace anything we already do but will enhance and build on all the great things going on in Lenawee County. The new workforce development center will feature advanced technology, innovative training facilities, and expert faculty offering diverse programs to meet the needs of various industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and technology among others. The center also plans to work closely with other partners such as ProMedica EBIED and HOLA as well as others to ensure alignment between the curriculum and the changing needs of the job market and the needs of the community. We will also address the gap in skilled trades by supporting the programs offered by the LISD/SMCSI. Another important area we will address is Human
Empowerment for all people in need of services by collaborating with existing resources and building new programs where needed.
The new center is expected to have a significant impact on the local economy, creating numerous employment opportunities while helping attract new businesses to the region while also addressing several social issues as well.