Consumers Energy Launches Statewide Talent Pipeline Management Academy

Part of Larger Effort to Ensure Continued Job Growth, Economic Prosperity with Skilled Workforce across Michigan

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Oct 30, 2017, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., Oct. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy today launched the Michigan Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) Academy – the first of its kind in the nation – to help Michigan businesses enhance their talent sources and hire better skilled workers to meet critical short and long-term employment needs.

"The difficulty of attracting, developing and retaining talent affects Consumers Energy and the businesses and communities we serve across the state, while posing a major obstacle to sustained economic growth and prosperity," said Dan Malone, Consumers Energy's senior vice president of engineering. "We want to ensure a bright future for our industry and businesses across the state, as well as those seeking good-paying jobs, now and in the future. Launching the Michigan Talent Pipeline Management Academy is a key component of our plan."

The TPM academy, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, consists of:

Twenty leaders and CEOs from Michigan organizations who work with business and industry will participate in the inaugural session;
Six days of training and webinars taken over six months;
Academy graduates will go on to support businesses in their region by applying the TPM methodology to address their hardest to fill job openings; and
They also form a network of professionals promoting continuous improvement, sharing effective strategies and improving business talent solutions.

"Employers across the nation are waking up to the fact that they need a more sophisticated approach to managing their talent pipeline if they are going to be successful in closing the skills gap," said Jason Tyszko, executive director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Center for Education and Workforce. "Michigan is leading this effort, where we are collaborating with Consumers Energy to launch our first ever state-based Talent Pipeline Management Academy."

Bringing the TPM Academy to Michigan is one of the strategies of the Michigan Talent Architecture Coalition. The coalition, convened by Consumers Energy, is a group of over 100 state leaders from industry, government, education, economic development, labor and non-governmental organizations focused on improving the availability of a qualified talent pool in Michigan.

The TPM methodology was developed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and provides training in the proven supply chain management methodology already used within many industries, but applies those focused principles to talent acquisition and development.

"The TPM approach is different than anything I have seen in 30 years of working in the workforce development area. It truly applies business principles to the talent gap," said Sharon Miller, talent architect project manager for Consumers Energy.

Consumers Energy successfully used the TPM methodology in 2015, when it identified a clear need for skilled electric and gas lines worker positions. The company projected its demands, identified competencies and expanded training partnerships with preferred providers for electric line workers and a veteran-specific training program in conjunction with its union that resulted in 100 qualified hires over two years.

For more information on the TPM Academy, visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/ mitalentarchitecture or call 248-433-5948.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

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