MARQUETTE — Thanks to the most recent round of Going PRO Talent Fund grants, four businesses in Marquette County will receive over $200,000 in funding to help more than 100 local workers receive the training they need to gain and retain high-skill, high-wage careers.

Statewide, about $13.5 million in grants from the second cycle of fiscal year 2023 Going PRO Talent Fund were awarded to nearly 300 Michigan businesses to help roughly 8,500 workers secure employment, industry-recognized credentials and strong wages.

“The Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in our state’s greatest asset — our people — helping them develop the skills they need to advance their careers and build a better life in Michigan,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release. “These grants help us put Michiganders first, ensuring paths to good-paying jobs and empowering Michigan businesses to develop the talent they need to compete in the global economy.”

“This funding will expand economic opportunity and help us address critical worker shortages in the Upper Peninsula, state Rep. Jenn Hill, D-Marquette, said in a statement.

“A total of 60 health care workers will receive the training they need to better serve our communities, thanks to this investment in the U.P.’s labor force. These investments are a win for workers, businesses and community members alike.”

The four Marquette County recipients are the Upper Peninsula Great Lakes Family Health Center, Marquette, $129,000; Resolve Surgical Technologies, Marquette, $55,200; MJ VanDamme Trucking Inc., K.I. Sawyer, $12,000; and PotlatchDeltic Land and Lumber LLC, K.I. Sawyer, $10,000.

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity makes Going PRO Talent Fund awards to employers through Michigan Works! agencies, including Upper Peninsula Michigan Works! Participating employers play an integral role in defining their key training needs, then work with their local MWAs and other partners to develop strategic training plans.

Since the program’s launch in 2014, more than 6,000 Michigan businesses have received Going PRO Talent Fund awards to train 175,000 new and existing workers.

Since the program’s inception, worker wages have increased an average of 9% following training completion.

Caroline Ray can be reached at 906-228-2500, extension 543.