In Mid-Michigan, there has been an increase in demand for construction workers but there aren’t enough ready applicants to fill those roles. The Midland Area Community Foundation has been working to address this issue by recruiting and incentivizing future construction professionals in the community through its Construction Talent Attraction Program.
“We’re seeing more and more construction job openings, and local businesses aren’t able to find people,” Sharon Mortensen, president and CEO of MACF said.
The first cohort of the MACF Construction Talent Attraction Program was announced on March 30.
Students preparing to complete their final year of college training can apply for loan repayment through the program. Any award will be conditional on students first securing employment in the community served by MACF, and the credentials must be relevant to their new position within the construction industry.
This initiative aims to address the lack of construction workers available to fill jobs in the area, which Mortensen says has “really tampered the ability as a community to be able to grow and to address construction needs.”
“For a community to flourish, you have to have people in the construction industry,” she continued. “Dam failures and the resulting flooding in this area caused a lot of devastation to this community. Being able to have the construction talent that we need, both for industrial and residential, is a real concern.”
The inspiration for the program at MACF to recruit and incentivize future construction professionals through loan repayment was spearheaded by an individual in the community who holds a donor advised fund (DAF) at MACF.
“Donor advised funds are a way for community to give to things that they care about, that they truly believe in,” Mortensen said.
The DAF holder told Mortensen and the MACF team that construction “is something that we really need to look at as a community, I’m concerned.” Thanks to their relationship and DAF partnership with MACF, they were able to help fund the program.
With loan repayment awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, Mortensen said the value that this program brings to the community will be felt by the students, the companies they work for and the community at large. “My hope is that the [local construction industry] will be motivated to help support the program.”
Mortensen believes this program is a great example of where philanthropy can be innovative and collaborative by saying, “Let’s get curious. Rather than saying we can’t, we said, ‘Is there a way that we do this, that we could work in this space to address an important need in our community?’”
Mortensen noted the importance of philanthropy asking, “What may be possible?”
Want more?
Learn about MACF’s Construction Talent Attraction Program.
