Align & Design Team™

Workforce Development

Their Mission:

Promote workforce development as a shared community responsibility focused on creating economic opportunities for everyone. By enhancing job quality and ensuring thriving wages, supporting individuals from unemployment to sustained career growth.

Diverse team collaborating at a conference table during a systemic change workshop, with colorful sticky notes on the wall documenting ideas and a digital presentation visible on screen.

Overview

Objective

To position ourselves to be the #1 region to move people to economic mobility by building a diverse workforce with increased wages.

Policy Connection
  • Access to Paid Family and Medical Leave

Current Work

Thrive + Prosper is establishing a steering committee to guide and accelerate efforts to strengthen Kent County’s workforce ecosystem. This committee will be made up of leaders who are committed to the greater good beyond organizational interests, bring strong leadership and decision-making authority, have industry experience and workforce expertise, think strategically with a systems-change lens, and hold influence to shape policy and funding decisions. The committee will focus on advancing four key pillars: resource navigation, career coaching, training, and connectivity to employers.

What We’re Doing

Promote workforce development as a shared community responsibility focused on creating economic opportunities for everyone. By enhancing job quality and ensuring thriving wages, supporting individuals from unemployment to sustained career growth.

What Comes Next

To position ourselves to be the #1 region to move people to economic mobility by building a diverse workforce with increased wages.

Partners

Women’s Resource Center
Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Essential Needs Taskforce
Goodwill Industries
West Michigan Works
Grand Rapids Community College
The Source