LANSING, Mich., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling’s (MACAC) first Focus: Future of Work conference, sponsored by Kelly Services®, a Michigan-based global workforce solutions leader, will take place on Friday, October 5, 2018 at Lansing Community College from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. This professional development event is exclusively for Michigan school counselors and focused on career and college counseling. Michigan government officials and employers focused on talent development and education will share what career options are open to students now and in the next 5-10 years, including salary projections; professional skills requirements for future careers; and relevant high school experiences that will prepare students for the future world of work.
While obtaining a four-year degree will continue to be an effective path for many of our state students, it is no longer the “only” route leading to successful, credible and well-paying careers. Michigan will have more than 811,000 high-demand, high-wage career openings to fill through 2024 with nearly $50 billion in potential earnings.
“With an economy that’s completely transformed, it’s imperative that we also transform and innovate talent development within our education system,” said Holly Markiecki Bennetts, president of MACAC. “Now more than ever, Michigan has an increasing number of careers available in healthcare, manufacturing, technical fields and other professional skill trades that offer benefits and high wages ranging to six figures, and they don’t require four-year degrees, but instead associate’s degrees, certifications on-the-job training or alternative opportunities. The issue is that many students and their counselors aren’t aware of these career pathways and opportunities.”
MACAC’s and Kelly Services’ concerns and efforts towards Michigan’s talent shortage are echoed by the state government, with its Talent and Economic Development Department stating that “this shortage is the single greatest threat to the state’s continued economic recovery.” In June 2018, Governor Rick Snyder signed the Marshall Plan for Talent into law, which invested $100 million to create, expand and support educators and businesses who form innovative programs for high-demand, high-wage careers.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to see the growing, much-needed attention and investment that Michigan’s talent and schools are starting to receive,” said Michelle Steffes, Kelly Services vice president and managing director, Talent Strategy, who will be the keynote speaker at the Future of Work conference. “The Marshall Plan follows another impactful law on this matter that was recently signed by Governor Snyder, House Bill 4181, which will result in school counselors expanding their knowledge base of successful and rewarding careers, fields and pathways that students might never have considered before.” The law will go into effect in 2019 and will require school counselors to spend 25 hours of their 5-year, 150-hour recertification process solely on college admissions, 20 hours solely on career counseling and 5 hours on military careers.
MACAC’s Future of Work conference will dive deep into how the next generation wants to work, what employers need from future talent, and how school counselors can help lead the way. The event on this important issue will provide participants the opportunity to earn 3-4 SCECH credits.
About Kelly Services
As a global leader in providing workforce solutions, Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) and its subsidiaries, offer a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Kelly® directly employs nearly 500,000 people around the world in addition to having a role in connecting thousands more with work through its global network of talent suppliers and partners. Revenue in 2017 was $5.4 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and connect with Kelly on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
About MACAC
The Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling (MACAC) was founded in 1970 and is an affiliate of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). It is an organization averaging 1,100 professionals from across the state and region serving students as they make choices about pursuing post-secondary education. MACAC effectively brings together secondary school counselors, college admission and financial aid officers, enrollment managers, independent counselors, and organizations engaged in guiding students through the secondary-to-higher-education transition process.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Heather Klee
Kelly Services
248-519-3642
heather.klee@kellyservices.com
Patrick O’Connor
MACAC
248-645-3430
POConnor@cranbrook.edu