Michigan Nonprofits are Hiring

Did you know that nonprofits employ 11% of Michigan’s workforce and almost half of nonprofit employers expect to grow their staff in 2017.  Find a fulfilling career on Michigan Nonprofit Association’s Job Center.  Current nonprofit job openings can be sent directly to you by signing up here.

An Introduction to Working in Michigan’s Nonprofit Sector

Michigan nonprofits employ more than 450,000 people and careers vary greatly.  Michigan Nonprofit Association offers a short e-publication titled, “An Introduction to Working in Michigan’s Nonprofit Sector.”  No matter who you are, where you come from, or where you are in your career, this guide provides practical knowledge as a first step to establishing your ideal career in the nonprofit sector.  Access it here.

Michigan made, actress, singer, and author Lisa Lauren Smith shines a light on the hidden resources that launched her career. Lisa attended Detroit School of Arts where she merged her “intellect and talent” and earned a president scholarship to Wayne State University.

Although her intellect earned her a four-year degree, with a little push from her mother, her passion led her to Specs Howard School of Media Arts, for Radio and Television broadcasting.

“By the end of high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My mom suggested a hands on curriculum like broadcasting until I knew where I wanted to go.” said Smith.

Smith took her creative knowledge into Radio One Detroit, where she was hired as a jock on 105.9 Kiss FM radio station. “As a personality, I discovered my strength in ‘character’ work. Sometimes I’d pretended to be a caller and dial in on my own show. I’d edit my real voice around the fake caller I created and people would think I was actually talking to another real person.”

Her determination got her involved with commercial acting. “I told the receptionist that at the radio station that I wanted to be in commercials then I ran into another personality ‘Studd’ at the station who had a binder from a class he took. It was a commercial acting workshop and after I Xeroxed every page, called the workshop, I took the two day course to learn this new craft.”

Lauren got connected to an agent and did whatever she had to in order to book auditions and earn roles. “My agent gave a list of photographers, registration paperwork and put me on camera. I studied everything from the workshop, took photos, and started getting calls for trade shows as a model.”

She eventually left radio to pursue acting fulltime which was definitely the right choice. Lisa landed roles with the Detroit Repertory Theater, Fox Film Entertainment, Disney ABC Group, BET Networks, Meadowbrook Theater and Comedy Central.

As successful as her acting career was going, Lisa had to make sure she told her testimony. Simple Wisdom, is a self-published biblical teaching and testimony about how to overcome your fears to achieve your goals and dreams.

“Through a nutshell, I take the reader through each and every pitfall that I know of personally that may be keeping them from achieving their best out of life. It’s based on the Word and my own journey, which hasn’t been easy, trust me.” said Lisa.

Through everything that Smith has been through, she definitely has some words of wisdom for people that want to pursue an acting career.

 “Audition for a lot of theater and take some classes at the Detroit Repertory Theater. For people that want to be on camera, go to The Actors Loft in Ferndale. Get your headshots taken and make an investment so that you can set yourself apart. Watch the very best actors, Academy award winners, read about the industry, and read books that explains the unions and contracts. Do not quit your day job until you are booking regularly and save your money. Most importantly, live your life.”

Writer: LaTya Jefferson is a Talent Team intern with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, working to develop content for our external and internal newsletters, highlighting success stories, programs, and resources for business attraction.

For those seeking a new job or career advancement, earning a high school diploma is often the first and most important step. Michigan Works! has made Michigan first again for those who want to get a better job!   Many employers and positions require at least a high school education. Great news for job seekers without a high school diploma: the state of Michigan has recently added the innovative Career Online High School (COHS) program to its eligible training provider list (ETPL), which means Michigan adults can now earn their diploma for free.

A Program Focused on Preparing Graduates for Jobs 

This Career Online High School is not a GED; it’s an accredited high school program tailored to adults. In addition to an actual high school diploma, students earn a career certificate in one of eight trade areas, gaining real-world skills they can use in the workplace. They also create a resume, cover letter, and career portfolio—so they can hit the ground running in the workforce and show employers that they are right for the job.   Did you know? High School graduates can earn an average of half million dollars more than those without a diploma over the course of a lifetime. 

Career Online High School was launched 5 years ago, and became part of the first accredited online high school program school district in the country.   Since it began in 2009, COHS has served over 10,000 adults and graduated over 32,500 students. Many students graduate in under a year, because the school grants transfer credits for past courses completed—so students get credit for what they’ve already learned and don’t have to start from scratch.

Tina Calhoun: Detroit Success Story

Matrix Human Services and Michigan Virtual University began offering the program in Michigan in 2016.   

Tina Calhoun, a Detroit native, was recently recognized as the first Detroit graduate in the program.   Among those on hand to congratulate her were her extended family and representatives from the admissions team at Macomb Community College, where she enrolled immediately to study to become a child care teacher.   What did Tina find worthwhile about the program? “I never had a chance to finish high school  when I was younger to finish school, and now that my kids are in high school, I wanted to show them I could do it,” she said..  “My academic coach kept working with me and saying ‘you got this.’ Finally, I did it!  I always liked working with young kids, so now I’m going to attend Macomb Community College and study to become a child care teacher. This program taught me I can do anything.”

Shortly after completing her degree, Matrix Human Services offered Tina position in their child development program. Congratulations, Tina!

Flexible and Convenient for Busy Adults

The flexible online program, coupled with academic coaches and trained, online certified academic instructors, proves to be a winning combination for adult students.   The coaches help motivate students and keep them on track to graduate on time. The online access offers flexibility for those balancing work, a job and life commitments, so students are able to earn their high school diploma on their own schedule..  

Visit MVU's Career Online High School enrollment site for more information on enrolling.   It doesn’t cost you anything, and it could pay back thousands more! 

 * Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 2016

Located in the University of Michigan’s Detroit Center, the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ) is a safe and supportive innovation space where Detroit students acquire the knowledge and tools they need to propel themselves to higher education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through challenging and exciting hands-on experiences. 

The FIRST Robotics teams of Detroit high schools stand center stage at the MEZ. The College of Engineering provides the needed space, equipment, training, and mentoring to assist students in the design, build, and test of their robots for competition. 

Outfitted with computer labs complete with CAD software, a machine shop, robot testing area, and collaborative workstations, Detroit's professional engineers and University of Michigan faculty, staff, students, and alumni provide technical training and mentoring within this environment of learning, leadership, teamwork, and fun!

Contact:mezdetroit@umich.edu 

Social: facebook.com/mezdetroit