Randy ThelenPresident

Lakeshore Advantagerandy.thelen@LakeshoreAdvantage.com

Roller Coaster Economy!

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 412140

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

7,230

15,623

6,892

Ottawa County2006-2012

Unemployment

Michigan Labor Market Information, Data Explorer. State of Michigan, 2013. Web. <http://milmi.org/cgi/dataanalysis/labForceReport.asp?menuchoice=LABFORCE>.

Synchronist

• 200 Companies are visited annually• 47 Question Survey• Best local economic knowledge available

Data > Anecdotes!

Expansion

2010 2011 20120%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

50%

71% 72%

50%

29% 28%

PLANS TO EXPAND IN NEXT 3 YEARS

YesNo

Source: Synchronist Business Information System. For reuse, contact Lakeshore Advantage.

Value/Growth

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 800

20

40

60

80

100

120

Value Growth Matrix

Value

Gro

wth

Source: Synchronist Business Information System. 2012 For reuse, contact Lakeshore Advantage.

Workforce Availability

1 2 3 4 5 6 70%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Workforce: Availability

NADS '12

Midwest

Local

Source: Synchronist Business Information System. 2012 For reuse, contact Lakeshore Advantage.

Long Term

• Ready for School

– Pre-K Focus– Every child will be prepared for school– Reading - Centric– Schools, Churches, Hospitals, and Businesses

are partnering

Intermediate

• Programs from Middle School - High School

– Herman Miller Academy– Apprenticeships and Internships– “Connections” / Middle College

Immediate

• HelloWestMichigan.org

• ReadyNow!

– Michigan Works, Community College, Manpower– Rapid Rehiring Program– Response to “No recent work history”

• Ready Now continued– 1 Week– 3 days of training soft skills– 1 day of optional coaching– Guaranteed 2 Interviews– First program—56 of 97 participants hired!

• Ready Now continued (behind the scenes)– Provide an uplifting experience

• Great venue• Great food• Great energy

– Passionate partners– Read:

“A Framework to Undertanding Poverty” by Ruby Payne.

Thank You!