Southfield MI Works! Joins the Southfield City Centre Business District

Southfield MI Works! is one of eight service centers that make up Oakland County’s Oakland MI Works!

In tandem with the Michigan Talent Investment Agency and Workforce Development Board, these centers work together to provide services that ensure local employers and individuals seeking employment can get what they need.

Southfield MI Works! takes a holistic approach to service and offers a variety of funded programs. For individuals, they provide career guidance and assistance and help pay for education and training to get them employed in the market. For businesses, they provide proposals for talent needs, programs to assist with the cost of training and certifications for talent in high demand, such as manufacturing project managers and medical professionals.

The Southfield MI Works! office is committed to delivering incredible resources and support services and has been continually growing their initiatives to make a bigger impact on the economy.

Moving On Up

Their next big move? Southfield MI Works! will be relocating to Southfield City Centre—in the middle of Lawrence Technological University’s administrative sector. The city’s commitment to making Southfield MI Works! a premier agency in Michigan will have an exciting effect. This will be the first MI Works! service center to be integrated within a local university!

The architect on the project, inFORM studio designed the new space to create intimate private spaces for client interactions through a series of pods that are organized around a large open resource area. The pods are strategically organized and carved to frame views to the exterior and niches for storage and equipment. The carved areas create opportunities to energize the spaces and create identity with pops of color. Additionally, the existing space was cleared and opened up to maximize the volume and opportunity to bring day light into all of the spaces.

Lisa Straske, manager at Southfield MI Works! says, “I can’t imagine how good this [move] is going to be! I think it will be an opportunity for us to collaborate with LTU and reach out to an additional population of students to see how we can be helpful to them.” The new location allows the service center to become part of Centrepolis and will reinvigorate their efforts. “I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to be working with LTU and the LTU Collaboratory. It will allow us to offer new things to the customers we serve and be better positioned to help job seekers, as the new location will be easily accessible to public transit.”

The Services

The Employment Services help individuals access skills and resources to set them on a path for success. Some of the services include resume and cover letter workshops, GED prep, 1-on-1 career assessments and advising, as well as job strategies and job leads.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance program is a federal program that assists U.S. workers who have lost or may lose their jobs as a result of foreign trade. This program seeks to provide adversely affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become reemployed.

The Partnership, Accountability, Training, Hope (PATH) program provides all the assistance an individual needs to become self sufficient through an intensive job search process and additional support services.

The Career Assistance Program provides workforce investment to help businesses increase employment, retention and earnings that will improve the competitive quality of their workforce and enhance productivity. This program includes:

• Resumé Writing—Meet with Career Advisors who can help assess your skills and help you write a customized resumé and cover letter that gets results.
• Job Search Options—Get guidance on and take advantage of all the new ways to find a job in a digital, social media world, including LinkedIn and Pure Michigan Talent Connect. Get early access to local job postings. Learn techniques and strategies for effective networking, job application completion and employer follow-up.
• Interview Preparation—Land your next job with an incredible interview. Hear what to do and what not to do. Prepare and practice to overcome the jitters. Negotiate your salary.
• Career Coaching—Schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor and begin your journey to success. Create your personal brand. Learn about apprenticeships and all of the free and on-the-job training available to help you develop and hone your skills.

Connect with Southfield MI Works!

Southfield MI Works! is here to help you overcome challenges and reach your careers goals. All services provided by Southfield MI Works! are funded through the WIOA and federal funds—which means they are free for anyone who can use them.

With counselors and career planners on staff, along with weekly career-based workshops, individuals can find exactly what they need to boost their skills and find employment.

Similarly, local businesses of all sizes can come in and sit down with the professionals at Southfield MI Works! to talk about the service programs and opportunities they can leverage to strengthen their talent base and upgrade the skills of the incumbent worker population.

If you’re looking for support and resources, give Southfield MI Works! a call at 248-796-4580 to learn more about how they can help you! You can also follow Southfield MI Works! on Facebook and Twitter.