Recent Going PRO Talent Fund grants help U.P. businesses build skilled talent

MARQUETTE -- Five Upper Peninsula employers are included in the latest round of Going PRO Talent Fund awards, part of more than $6 million in statewide grants supporting worker training, new hires and registered apprenticeships.

Administered by Upper Peninsula Michigan Works!, U.P. employers received nearly $148,000 in awards, including support for G. Brooks Electric in Iron Mountain, MJ VanDamme Trucking in Gwinn, Precision Edge Surgical in Sault Ste. Marie, Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center in Hancock and Optalis Kingsford Opco LLC in Dickinson County.

The funding gives local employers more opportunity to work toward closing skills gaps, retaining workers and to keep building the workforce needed for industries across the U.P.