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 If your business is part of Michigan's tourism industry, don't miss the Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013 from April 14 to 16 at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. More than 1,000 industry and economic development leaders will explore the newest trends and best strategies for tapping in to Michigan's growing tourism opportunities. I'll outline efforts to retain and attract the talented young people and professionals who drive business formation and expansion in every industry, including tourism.
New for 2013 is Pure Michigan Jump Start, a competition to find the best new tourism idea in the state. The top five entrants will each pitch their concept to a conference audience with the winner taking home $5,000 to help make it a reality.
Time is short: you must submit your new tourism idea by Friday, March 1 to be eligible. For information on how to apply, click here. To register for the conference, click here.
See you in April!
Amy Cell Senior Vice President for Talent Enhancement Michigan Economic Development Corporation
The Pure Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism 2013 taking place April 14-16 at the Marriott in Detroit's Renaissance Center is a great opportunity to showcase your company logo, products and services in front of hundreds of tourism industry decision-makers from all over the state and beyond. To learn more about exhibitor pricing and to register for a booth, click here.
To find out about sponsorship opportunities, contact Kylie Binns with the Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association at KylieB@milodging.org or 517-267-8989.
For the full conference schedule including information on keynote speakers and breakout sessions, click here.
Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) will convene a business leadership summit entitled Building a New Michigan on Monday, March 11 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing. The summit is the first to focus on the six distinctive Michigan assets and corresponding opportunities outlined in BLM's 2012 Michigan Turnaround Plan - assets the state can leverage to accelerate job
growth and personal income:
- Engineering Talent: Global Engineering Village
- Geographic Location: Gateway to the Midwest
- Higher Education System: Higher Education Marketplace
- Natural Resources: Natural Resources Economy
- Automotive Industry: Global Center of Mobility
- Health and Medical Expertise: Life Sciences Hub
There is no cost to attend. Click here to register, or contact Jennifer Hayes at jenniferh@businessleadersformichigan.com or 313-259-5400 for more information.
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Are you a small business owner or building operator looking for ways to cut your energy consumption and costs? You may be eligible for up to $350 in tuition rebates for building operators who complete training and certification in the nationally-recognized Building Operator Certification (BOC) program.
The $350 rebate from the Michigan Energy Office (MEO) is in addition to tuition rebates offered by a number of utility companies.
To
qualify for the tuition rebate, you must be a new or previous Rebuild Michigan program
participant.
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It isn't too late to take advantage Getting Started, a Global Lansing
initiative designed to connect talented international students with mid-Michigan companies looking for skilled interns. The Spring 2013
session is already underway, but there are still interns available for
immediate placement. Their fields of study include engineering,
supply chain management, biochemistry, accounting, business, and finance. If you
have an internship project to offer, click here to fill out an application for your company or organization.
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Global Lansing is a collaborative effort of MEDC, Prima Civitas, the Lansing Area Economic Partnership (LEAP), area communities and organizations designed to welcome global
talent and investors to mid-Michigan and help local employers connect with international students before they graduate
and leave the area.
For more information on how your business can benefit from Getting Started, contact Tremaine Phillips at tremaine.phillips@primacivitas.org or 517-708-4252.
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Congress extends tax credits for employers who hire veterans
In January, Congress voted to extend the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior tax credits - federal tax incentives available to employers for hiring veterans and other job seekers who face barriers to employment. The law was originally enacted in November 2011 as part of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which contained a series of tax credits for businesses that hire out-of-work veterans. These Work Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC) provide tax breaks of between $2,400 and $9,600 to employers who hire veterans. Credits vary depending on the length of time a veteran has been unemployed and whether the veteran has a service-connected disability.
Read a press release from Senator Charles Schumer of New York announcing details of the extension. Download a WOTC Cheat Sheet here. Note the January 2013 extension makes the credits available through the end of 2013. For more information and guidance on obtaining these and other tax credits and benefits for hiring veterans, contact the Veterans' Services Division at
1-800-455-5228 or
veteransservices@michigan.gov.
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Have you ever needed expert, low-cost help on a project but didn't know how or where to find it? Davenport University and Prima Civitas are teaming up to offer a series of free internship workshops for employers around the state to help you structure an internship program to meet the specific needs of your business. |
 Along with plenty of coffee and snacks, these workshops
offer the opportunity to network with area employers who have developed
successful internship programs, and learn first-hand from local workforce
and academic experts on structuring your own. For a list of remaining workshop dates and locations and to register to attend, click here.
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News for Employers
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West Michigan manufactures can benefit from an innovative job matchmaking event on March 6 - 8 at the Kirkhof Center on the campus of Grand Valley State University in Allendale. Ready Now! is a three-day employability program open to all job seekers but with a special emphasis on west Michigan veterans.
Event organizers are looking for manufacturers in the Grand Rapids, Holland, and Lakeshore area with five or more open positions to register and take part in the Ready Now! event.
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 Employers who participate will have access to
more than 150 pre-qualified job candidates and the opportunity to
showcase career options within their companies. Ready Now! is a project of The Right Place; The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce; Talent 2025; Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids; Michigan Works! of Kent, Allegan and Ottawa Counties; and Lakeshore Advantage.
For the three-day event agenda, click here. To learn
more about Ready Now! and for information on how your business can take part, contact Christine Powers at
Lakeshore Advantage, 616-772-5226 or Christine.powers@lakeshoreadvantage.com.
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