DRAFT

Eastern Upper Peninsula

Environmental Scan and Career Development Report Card

II. Environmental Scan, Part 1 - Our Community

A. Demographics

From 1970 to 1998, the population of the Eastern U.P. has grown by approximately 6800 people, or 14 percent. Luce County has actually shown some decrease in population (2 percent), but Mackinac and Chippewa have grown by 15 and 17 percent, respectively.

These population statistics include institutional and noninstitutional “group quarters” figures, and it should be pointed out that the area’s large prison facilities skew the totals. In 1998, the Department of Corrections reported that 5,484 prisoners were housed in the Eastern U.P., with 937 in Luce County and 4,547 in Chippewa County. Other people falling into that category include those residing in nursing homes, hospitals and college dormitories. The total in 1998 was 6,738.

More recently, using gross figures, the area’s population grew by 8.7 percent from 1990 to 1998; the state’s population grew by 5.6 percent during the same period. If you factor out the group quarters population, the region’s population grew by 7.1 percent. The largest growth of the three counties was experienced by Luce County (17.5 percent), but if the group quarters population is excluded, the county only grew by 3.4 percent.

The only category which has shown a steady decline since 1990 has been the age zero-to-four population, which has decreased by 8 percent. The age 18 to 24 population has remained constant at about 11 percent of the total population, compared to 9.4 percent statewide The birth rate in the E.U.P. is 11.5 per 1,000, compared to 15 per 1,000 statewide. The age 65 and older category remains steady at 13.6 percent of the total population.

The racial profile of the Eastern U.P. is majority white (83.3 percent) with Native Americans (10.9 percent) and blacks (5.3 percent) comprising the largest minority groups. Fifty-three (53) percent are males. In 1990, the total labor force was 23,200. The disabled population aged 16 and older was 1,960 or 8.4 percent.

There have not been any noticeable changes in minority populations over the last ten years, but the 2000 census will provide us with a better assessment.

Table 1.

Table 2.

B. Business and Economic Conditions

The general economic conditions have mirrored the improvements that Michigan has experienced over the past few years. Unemployment rates have shown a steady decline, although they are still more than twice the state’s average.

The workforce of the Eastern U.P. has expanded substantially faster than statewide and national growth rates, however. Since 1990, our total employment has increased by 25.4 percent, compared to 13.8 in Michigan and 10.7 in the United States.

Still very reliant on tourism, the Eastern U.P.’s economy is very unlike the balance of the state. The largest employment sector is government, comprising 45.3 percent of all jobs, more than tripling the statewide percentage of 14.6. Government employment includes the six state correctional institutions, vast tribal enterprises, a state university and local school districts, as well as other local, state and federal government jobs. Manufacturing makes up 5 percent of the area’s employment, compared to 21.4 percent statewide. Seven of the Eastern U.P.’s top ten private employment industries are related to tourism.

Table 3.

*Other: Transportation, Utilities, Communication, Wholesale Trade, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

class=Section3>

Our tourist businesses have worked hard over the years to extend the season and create more year-round activities to draw visitors. The weather plays a critical role each year in the industry. Hot summer weather downstate is a plus, as people flock to our northern beaches to beat the heat. When our summers are cool and wet, fewer “no vacancy” signs appear. Similarly, a temperate winter is not healthy for the snowmobiling and skiing enthusiasts. Thus, many area businesses thrive or wilt because of what they cannot control – the weather.

Interviews with key employers in the area indicate that business expansions are being planned. This includes manufacturing and health care providers, which will typically offer higher wages than retail trade and services. Only the public schools have indicated that they expect no growth or reductions due to lower enrollments, particularly in the elementary grades. Some smaller governmental agencies are also expecting to downsize by being annexed to nearby districts, resulting in fewer locally-based employees.

Per capita incomes have increased from 1987 to 1998 by an average of 55 percent for the three counties, compared to the state’s increase of 57 percent. Mackinac County had the most significant change, going from $12,301 to $21,886, a 78% increase. Even in 1997, each of the three counties lagged behind the state’s per capita income of $24,956. Chippewa County was 37 percent lower at $15,591, while Luce was at $17,716. Nineteen (19) percent of Mackinac County’s labor force is employed outside the county, compared to 4.2 percent in Chippewa and 6.4 percent in Luce.

Table 4.

The unemployment rates in the Eastern U.P. have shown steady declines. The average annual rate was 13.8 percent in 1992, dropping to 8.5 percent in 1998. Although it was still more than twice the state’s rate of 3.9 percent, it is a notable improvement. Chippewa and Luce County have relatively stable rates throughout the year, with seasonal fluctuations impacting them with higher rates during the winter months. Mackinac County, however, exhibits extreme shifts in unemployment, going from more than 20 percent during the winter months to less than 2 percent in the height of the summer tourist season.

Table 5.

Michigan’s welfare reform programs have definitely had an impact on the size of the local labor force. For example, in 1994 there were almost 400 public assistance cases in Chippewa County without earned income; today there are less than 30. The total labor force of the Eastern U.P. has increased by 4,725 from 1990 to 1998, a rise of 20.3 percent.

In the Upper Peninsula, the occupations with the largest numeric growth between 1996 and 2006 are expected to be cashiers, retail salespersons, correction officers, general managers and top executives, amusement and recreation attendants, food preparation workers, waiters and waitresses, home health aides, maintenance repairers, and general office clerks. Most of these occupations require minimal formal training; correction officers need 15 credits of specific postsecondary credits, and some require computer literacy. The majority of these jobs are in the service sector, demanding good interpersonal relations skills, organizational skills and dependable work ethics.

class=Section4>

Table 6.

class=Section5>

Upper Peninsula Top Ten Private Industry Employers: (Third Quarter 1998)

Industry	Number of Employees
Eating and Drinking Places	2,162
Amusement and Recreation Services	1,893
Membership Organizations	1,562
Hotels and Other Lodging Places	1,382
Food Stores	785
General Merchandise Stores	586
Miscellaneous Retail Trade Stores	580
Lumber and Wood Products	571
Auto Dealers and Service Stations	456
Health Services	451

Of the U.P.’s fastest growing occupations for the same period, medical and technology skills pervade. The occupations include numerical control machine operators, physical therapists, systems analysts, personal/home care aides, emergency medical technicians, amusement and recreation attendants, medical assistants, medical and psychiatric social workers, engineers, and preschool/kindergarten teachers.

Nationally, the highest percentage increases in employees from 1998 to 2008 will be in computers (117 percent), health services (67 percent) and residential maintenance (57 percent).

Table 7.

class=Section6>

Upper Peninsula’s Fastest Growing Occupations 1996-2006

Occupations	Employment Change
Occupations	Number	Percent
Numerical Control Machine Operators	180	62.8
Physical Therapists	60	57.1
Systems Analysts	90	54.3
Personal/Home Care Aides	155	51.7
Emergency Medical Technicians	75	43.6
Amusement & Recreation Attendants	380	40.8
Medical Assistants	65	37.4
Social Workers, Medical & Psychiatric	105	35.7
Engineer, Math, Natural Science Managers	80	34.8
Teachers, Preschool/Kindergarten	90	33.0

Table 8.

Upper Peninsula Occupations with the Largest Numeric Growth 1996-2006

Occupations	Employment Change
Occupations	Number	Percent
Cashiers	775	17.6
Salespersons, Retail	630	14.7
Correction Officers	495	24.1
General Managers & Top Executives	410	11.6
Amusement & Recreation Attendants	380	40.8
Food Preparation Workers	345	17.7
Waiters & Waitresses	335	10.8
Home Health Aides	320	27.8
Maintenance Repairers, General Utility	320	13.2
General Office Clerks	2150	7.0

Table 9.

Upper Peninsula High Growth, High Demand, High Wage Occupations

class=Section7>

Occupation	Growth Rate	Annual Openings	Wages
Requiring Associate’s Degree
Dental Hygienists	21.2	10	$19.94
Registered Nurses	9.8	48	$20.09
Respiratory Therapists	39.6	5	$16.27
Medical Records Technicians	30.4	5	$10.03
Paralegals	52.8	3	$15.14
Requiring Post-Secondary Vocational or Technical Training
Automotive Mechanics	6.1	32	$15.38
Welders and Cutters	6.8	18	$12.68
Emergency Medical Technicians	43.6	11	$10.31
Data Processing Equipment Repairers	53.3	3	$12.66
Medical Secretaries	6.2	7	$10.29
Requiring Moderate On-the-Job Training
Numerical Control Machine Operators	62.8	23	$13.62
Painters and Paperhangers	14.4	12	$14.14
Operating Engineers	10.8	9	$17.58
Medical Assistants	37.4	10	$ 9.33
Salespersons, Parts	14.4	16	$12.19

Table 10.

Industries with the highest percentage increases in employees from 1998 to 2008, according to federal projections:

class=Section8>

Of the representatives from two hospitals and one long-term care facility that were interviewed, all indicated that employee recruitment was of great concern. All had unfilled job openings which require licensed or certified personnel. Likewise, employee retention and turnover surfaced as problematic. War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie employs 40 percent of their registered nurses from Ontario. Manufacturers in Sault Ste. Marie have also hired production workers from Ontario, and the hospitality industry in the Straits area has long employed a significant number of Jamaican workers to fill seasonal jobs.

It appears that the physical infrastructure of the area is adequate to support most industries. Telecommunications are in place, and utilities can be extended without too much difficulty if they are not readily available. We also have an important rail infrastructure and the availability of deep water ports. Except for 52 miles of a divided four-lane interstate, the area’s land transport relies on two lane highways. Air transportation is available, but limited schedules have been known to frustrate business travelers.

Perhaps one of the most misleading perceptions faced by the area is that of remoteness, along with the perception that we do not have the infrastructure needed to support base industry. The Eastern U.P. is more than just a place to vacation and retire.

One of the unique features of the Eastern U.P. is its close proximity to the much larger city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The community benefits from the cross-border shopping from this city of over 80,000 people, approximately five times larger than its Michigan counterpart. The value of the Canadian dollar impacts heavily the amount of commerce seen on both sides of the St. Mary’s River.

C. Education and Training

There are fourteen public school districts in the three-county area, with eleven high schools. The entire intermediate school district had 9,189 students for the 1998-1999 school year. The average K-12 enrollment was 648 students, and the largest district, Sault Ste. Marie, had a K-12 enrollment of 3,139. There is one secondary level career center, and it is located adjacent to Sault Area High School. Other high schools provide various types of career technical education, but do not have “added costs” programs.

On average, the graduation rate (4 years) for the district is 84.1 percent, slightly above the state’s rate of 82.8 percent. Approximately 40 percent of the area’s students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, compared to 31 percent statewide.

The Eastern U.P. is home to a four-year state postsecondary institution, Lake Superior State University, and a small tribally chartered college, Bay Mills Community College. The University also takes on the role of community college by legislative decree. Lake Superior State University offers baccalaureate degrees in several disciplines under the Colleges of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences; Business and Economics; Engineering and Mathematics; and Natural and Health Sciences. In addition, a number of Associate Degree programs are available. The University has nearly 2450 full-time students and approximately 675 part-time students. In 1999, they awarded 126 Associate Degrees and 571 Bachelor’s Degrees. Two recent capital improvements are the library and science center, which are accompanied by the most current technological equipment and resources. Lake Superior State University has a number of distance learning centers in lower Michigan.

Bay Mills Community College has an enrollment of approximately 140 full-time students and 180 part-time students. Students, both Native American and non-Native, can participate in fully accredited classes in a variety of programs. Last year, 16 students completed Associate Degree programs and 15 completed certificate programs. The most prevalent majors were business administration, Ojibway language instruction, general business, native studies, and human services. Since its inception in 1984, the institution has grown from a handful of students to its present size. The physical plant has also expanded to include a state-of-the-art computer lab, dormitories and library. Just recently, Bay Mills Community College has announced that they will be relocating from the shores of Lake Superior to a larger campus just south of Brimley. A forty acre parcel of land will be developed to meet the needs of the growing institution, which plans to expand its offerings to include automotive technology and construction trades. The College has also established a virtual college through which several classes can be taken on line. They have partnered with Head Start to provide teaching certification, and have students from as far away as the West Coast and Alaska. Instruction has been coordinated through Consolidated Community School Services to offer GED preparation and high school completion as needed.

The Sault Area Career Center has several career technical programs: agriscience, allied health technology, business services and technology cluster, construction

class=Section9>

technology, drafting and design technology, early education/adult care services, manufacturing technology cluster, marketing, transportation services cluster, and visual imaging technology cluster. The center can accommodate students bussed in from nearby schools as well as Sault area students. Graduates and other adults may participate on a tuition basis. The center also has active less-than-class and cooperative education programs.

Five of the larger populations centers have alternative high schools: Sault Ste. Marie, Newberry, Kincheloe, Cedarville and St. Ignace. Adult education sites are present in virtually every community. There is very little activity with regard to apprenticeship training in the Eastern U.P. Organized labor is not prevalent in the factories or skilled trades.

Through the Career Preparation System, efforts have been made to introduce and adopt career pathways; the St. Ignace schools are leading the way presently, and have converted to block scheduling to accommodate the change in approach to integrated curriculums.

Concerns about decreases in public school enrollment have surfaced among many of the local districts. In particular, the K-5 grades have shown steady declines over the last eight years. Since the 1991-1992 school year, enrollment in these grades has dropped from 4349 to 3740, a loss of over 600 students or 14 percent. Total public school enrollment for the same period has declined by 5.6 percent. The private and charter school enrollment has increased by 328 students to the present enrollment of 379. The previously mentioned reduction in the area’s age 0-4 population would indicate that further declines in the elementary grades are in store.

A comparison of area Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores to the state’s shows that the area is lagging behind in several areas. On the high school test in 1997-98, the following percentage of local eleventh graders who met or exceeded Michigan standards numbered 63.6% in math, 54.1% in reading, 41.1% in science, and 49.1% in writing. Statewide, students achieving those levels numbered 60.5% in math, 58.9% in reading, 51.7% in science, and 56.6% in writing. In 1999, the percentage of local students who met or exceeded Michigan standards on all four tests was 23.3 percent, compared to 30.3 percent statewide. Brimley had the highest percentage with 46.6, followed by Mackinac Island with 37.5, St. Ignace with 29.8 and the Sault with 27.3.

With regard to standardized tests, it appears that more students take the ACT. In Michigan 71 percent of graduating high school seniors took the test, and Michigan’s average score was 21.3, compared to the national average of 21. Average scores have held steady for four years in a row, after steady improvements during most of the 1990s. We are interested in whether the Eastern U.P. scores paralleled the

class=Section10>

state’s, so we will pursue that data when school officials return for fall semester.

In the 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years, approximately 70 percent of the Eastern U.P. freshmen who entered Lake Superior State University were in the top half of their graduating high school class. In the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 school years, that percentage dropped to about 51 percent. For freshmen from the balance of Michigan, over 61 percent graduated in the top half of their high school class. Over the last eight years, approximately 40 percent of the Eastern U.P. freshmen had ACT composite scores of 21 or above, while 50 percent of their counterparts from the rest of the state scored in that range. During the same time span, 48 percent of the Eastern U.P. freshmen tested as proficient in math (ACT Math Score of 19+), while 61 percent of the freshmen from other parts of the state were proficient. In English proficiency (ACT English Score of 18+), 58 percent of the Eastern U.P. freshmen attending LSSU were determined proficient, while 67 percent of the other Michigan freshmen scored in that range.

Bachelor Degree graduates from Lake Superior State University in 1997, 1998 and 1999 numbered 1,541; of those graduates, 175 (or 11.4 percent) were reportedly from the Eastern U.P.

Federal training programs for youth and adults under the Job Training Partnership Act were generally very successful in assisting participants in entering employment. Using classroom training at postsecondary institutions or on-the-job training with area employers, federal performance benchmarks were exceeded. For Program Year 1998, 86.2 percent of the adults entered employment at approximately $7.36 per hour; 84.6 percent of the youth entered employment (wages not reported); and 100 percent of the dislocated workers entered employment at approximately $8.58 per hour.

Educational attainment seems somewhat less of a priority locally. In 1990, the percentage of 25-year-olds or older with a high school diploma in Chippewa County was 73.6 percent; Luce, 69.6 percent; and Mackinac, 71.4 percent, compared to Michigan, 76.8 percent. Those with a Bachelor’s Degree numbered 10.8 percent in Chippewa; 9.6 percent in Luce; and 10.4 percent in Mackinac, compared to 17.4 percent in Michigan.

D. Technological

Fiber optic telecommunication access is available nearly anywhere in the Eastern U.P., although direct cable access to the Internet has not yet been established. Residents and commercial customers can subscribe to an Internet service provider for a modest monthly fee to obtain unlimited access, in lieu of making a long-distance call. Local financial institutions have been promoting web-based services for personal financial management, and retail and business web pages are on the increase. As mentioned above, both Lake Superior State University and Bay Mills Community College have utilized the Internet to offer distance learning options to students. Teleconferencing facilities are available in several locations. The public schools have access to interactive TV to assist schools with low class enrollments to offer various subjects through that medium.

All of the local public schools are equipped with computers, some in the classroom, some in labs or media centers, and some in both. A national survey by Market Data Retrieval indicates that although 95 percent of the American schools now have Internet access, many teachers still do not know how to use the tools or do not feel comfortable using technology in their classrooms. Millions of dollars in grants are now being made available to colleges to train teachers to use technology effectively in the classroom. Efforts to provide such training are ongoing in the Eastern U.P. According to one school official, teachers applying for local jobs are keenly interested in the level of technology available to them, should they accept employment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the technology and information management fields as the fastest growing occupations through 2008. Yet the number of students graduating college with a degree in computer programming dropped from 50,000 in 1986 to 35,000 in 1995. In response to this concern, training budgets for employers have risen steadily, topping out a $62 billion in 1999, according to the National Alliance for Business. A recent ACT report also indicates that few students are choosing to become computer majors despite the lure of jobs and high pay; just 5 percent of the college-bound high school graduates of the class of 2000 picked computer and information science as their first vocational choice.

class=Section11>

E. Political/Legal

In this election year, one of the pertinent topics is school vouchers. Locally, we have

already seen a significant increase in enrollments at charter schools and private schools.

In smaller, rural districts, additional transfers of students away from the public schools

will result in serious financial difficulties, particularly when our local average foundation

allowance is already $500 less than the state average.

Another political concern appears to be the lack of interest in local office seeking. Of the 17 county commission seats, only two incumbent candidates had opposition in the primary election. One incumbent was eliminated, and only two seats will be contested in November. One local township had no candidates, incumbent or otherwise, declared for the primary election, but was able to gather enough write-ins to fill the ballot. This trend appears indicative of the fact that no issue has motivated a desire to change from the status quo in the region and/or a genuine lack of civic mindedness.

At the state level, however, term limits have legislated a frequent change of representation. Concerns have been raised about this leading to an increased power base of special interest groups, and a disproportionate influence by long-term bureaucrats. There has been some frustration noted about the inability to keep excellent legislators in office, merely because term limits require their departure from that position.

F. Socio-Cultural Conditions

Much of this section contains anecdotal information gathered from conversations with area business leaders and educators. One phenomenon that continues to plague the economic community is the cultural aspect of seasonal employment. Many individuals have worked their entire adult lives with the expectation that they will collect unemployment insurance through the winter and return to their jobs in time for the next tourist season to begin. Employers, too, depend on a supply of seasonal workers each spring to resume their jobs. In a seasonal, tourist economy, there simply are not the resources to offer employment, nor the benefits, to workers in the off season. If one has grown up in this environment, it becomes a way of life.

During this overall period of high employment, another curious habit has surfaced, that of job hopping. Employers are frequently left high and dry by employees who have left because they could earn an extra 25 cents an hour down the street, or who wanted Saturday off and couldn’t get off the schedule, so they quit and found another job on Monday. This worker value issue is likely to be around for a while.

Many of the service sector jobs in the tourist and retail industry do not offer medical benefits to employees, and the employers who do provide them are wondering how long they can continue to pay the spiraling costs. This is a major issue to the individuals who are making the transition from welfare to work, which means eventually losing their Medicaid benefits. Medical bills for the uninsured can set families back financially for years.

Another job-related trend that has become more prevalent is the increase in round-the-clock employment. This affects child care and transportation services. Working parents have to balance access, cost and quality when seeking care for their children. Conventionally child care centers are only open during the day, and there are few of them available in the out-county areas. Likewise, our scarce public transportation is even more limited during non-daytime hours.

Often mentioned is the perception that there is an exodus of 18- to 26-year-olds from the area. They leave for college and for more lucrative employment offers. In particular, it appears to some that we lose our “brightest and best” students in a “brain drain” because we do not have plentiful high-wage, high-skill jobs to employ the young adults. We may be starting to see some additional results from this in the decline of the elementary school aged population, which negatively impacts the vitality of the community.

G. Other Conditions

Transportation. The Eastern U.P. is sparsely populated, and unless a resident lives in Sault Ste. Marie or Newberry, public transportation is not available. Sault Ste. Marie has a Dial-a-Ride which operates weekdays on demand, and Newberry has one which runs in a five-mile radius. The transit authority has a bus which operates on a regular daily schedule between Sault Ste. Marie and Kincheloe, and which covers other communities on a less regular basis. There is one cab company in Sault Ste. Marie, but it would be cost-prohibitive to use on a regular basis if one lives outside the city limits. St. Ignace also has a cab, but dependence on it for employment would not be practical. To sum up, a person/family really needs a personal vehicle in order to live and work in the Eastern U.P.

Environmental. Many people sacrifice high paying jobs in order to enjoy the quality of life which exists in the Eastern U.P. We have low crime rates; few violent crimes; no traffic jams (construction season notwithstanding); rare natural disasters (earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, floods); a slower pace; and a personal, small-town “know your neighbor” atmosphere. The per capita income of this area ($17,098) compared to the state ($24,956) is significantly lower, yet people still choose to live here. There is an abundance of natural beauty in the forests, beaches and waterways, with year round outdoor recreational activities available to every age.

Housing. New census figures are needed for current comparisons, but in 1990, the median home in Michigan was valued at $60,600. In Chippewa County, the median home value was $37,500; in Luce County, it was $30,800; and in Mackinac County it was $43,900. In the Straits area, seasonally available housing remains a concern. Summer workers cannot afford to move permanently to the area for a seasonal job, but the market for rental property is very tight. Employers, particularly on Mackinac Island, have been forced to provide employee housing, most often in dormitory and rooming house settings. It is not conducive for family life.

class=Section12>

II Environmental Scan, Part 2 - Our Career Development System

Planners were advised to utilize readily available data and minimize additional surveys for the environmental scan. Some of the information, therefore, is incomplete. The summer time frame for this project presented difficulties in obtaining portions of the educational data, while other information, such as customer satisfaction, has not been effectively measured. Part of the planning process will be to address the data gaps that exist.

A. Overall System Trends - Data Covering a five-year trend in each sector of the Career Development System

The Career Preparation System: K-12 Education, Secondary Career and Technical Education, Colleges and Universities, Private

Vocational Schools

Institution

Enrollment and Participant

Trends

Graduate and Completion

Trends

Resource Trends

EUP ISD Average District

AY Dist. Average Enroll.

1993-94 785

1994-95 692

1995-96 654

1996-97 661

1997-98 659

1998-99 648

1999-00

Graduation Dropout Rate

77.0% 6.3%

86.4% 3.7%

85.3.% 4.0%

84.9 % 3.9%

84.1% 4.3%

Foundation

Allowance

N/A

$4,793

$5,053

$5,307

$5,569

$5,568

$6,251

Inflation Adjusted to 1990

N/A

$4,151

$4,209

$4251

$4,310

$4,343

$4,845

Lake Superior State University

AY Total Enrollment

1996-97 3369

1997-98 3427

1998-99 3197

Graduation Dropout Rate

694

495

721

Bay Mills

AY Total Enrollment

1998-99 321

Graduation Dropout Rate

Career Technical Education

Year Unduplicated Count

1995 455

1996 569

1997 879

1998 926

1999 906

Completer Counts

181

290

317

466

390

Funding Inflation

Adjusted ***

$195,812 $162,278

$192,227 $153,974

$145,245 $112,420

$154,383 $120,419

$187,626 $145,408

*** Inflation adjusted dollars to 1990

In five years, the CTE funding has decreased as much as $50,000 from 1995 levels, with an average decrease of $3,400 in inflation adjusted dollars per year. The completer counts are in the major programs of agriscience, business education, home economics, health occupations, marketing education, and trade and industry. Most of the completers were enrolled in business education (50%) and trade and industry (19%), and the fewest were enrolled in home economics.

Three private vocational programs are available in Chippewa County: Gil’s Computer Services, St. Mary’s School of Cosmetology, and International Trucking School, which just opened this year. These programs fill some training niches, but are not yet major components of the workforce development system.

class=Section13>

Workforce Development System: Adult Education, JTPA, Vocational Rehabilitation, Welfare Reform Programs, Michigan Works

class=Section14>

Service Center System, Employment Service

PROGRAM

YEAR

ENROLLMENTS

EMPLOYMENT

RATE

WAGE INFORMATION

FUNDING

AVAILABLE

EXPENDITURES

JTPA Adult

Year:

PY 1994

PY 1995 PY 1996

PY 1997

PY 1998

Enrollments:

180

157

130

152

EUP Employment

73.9%

73.0%

60.2%

69.2%

86.2%

Average Wage

$6.35

$7.16

$6.49

$8.12

$7.83

$431,350

$447,008

$402,979

$373,783

$387,824

$385,730

$392,058

$360,752

$336,061

$352,384

Inflation Adjusted

$334,042

$326,584

$288,962

$260,111

$274,860

JTPA Dislocated Workers

Year:

PY 1994

PY 1995 PY 1996

PY 1997

PY 1998

139

137

EUP Employment

82.8%

89.6%

81.5%

87.8%

100%

Average Wage

$7.21

$7.18

$8.24

$9.01

$8.58

$326,951

$388,639

$295,851

$290,084

$334,619

$293,737

$353,625

$272,783

$273,463

$308,078

$254,376

$294,570

$218,499

$211,660

$240,301

JTPA Youth Year Round

PY 1994

PY 1995 PY 1996

PY 1997

PY 1998

58.9%

63.0%

64.9%

80.0%

84.6%

$6.04

$5.71

$5.80

$8.06

$6.48

$373,057

$135,265

$141,087

$ 71,987

$105,145

$289,146

$129,742

$121,827

$ 70,079

$ 92,556

$250,400

$108,075

$ 97,583

$ 54,241

$ 72,194

JTPA Summer Youth

CY 1995

CY 1996 CY 1997

CY 1998

CY 1999

153

116

178

158

151

$397,549

$252,320

$361,328

$358,321

$334,295

$320,882

$238,953

$354,308

$340,994

$334,918

$267,295

$191,401

$274,234

$265,975

$259,561

Work First &

Welfare-to-Work

FY 1995

FY 1996 FY 1997

FY 1998

FY 1999

317

474

658

755

817

EUP Employment

197 (62.1%)

195 (66.7%)

293 (44.5%)

351 (46.5%)

432 (52.9%)

State Comparison

49.6%

54.8%

40.1%

46.4%

50.2%

$264,592

$274,018

$348,069

$421,036

$668,628

$142,242

$195,842

$185,692

$297,861

$421,337

$118,488

$156,869

$143,726

$232,332

$326,536

class=Section15>

Program

Enrollment and Participant Trends

Graduate and Completion Trends

Resource Trends

Adult Education

(Consolidated

Community

School Services)

1997/1998 144 in GED Classes

1998/1999: 93 in High School Completion

147 in GED Classes

1999/2000: 100 in High School Completion

173 in GED Classes

62 Earned GED

73 Advanced in GED Prep

10 Earned High School Diploma

67 Earned H.S. Credit

65 Earned GED

65 Advanced in GED Prep

8 Earned High School Diploma

117 Earned H.S. Credit

73 Earned GED

85 Advanced in GED Perp

1999-2000: 107.91 FTE

X $2,850 = $307,543.50

Plus $8,554.00 Federal ABE

Per Provider, Annual Funding for Last Five Years has remained steady at approximately $300,000 **

St. Ignace: .90 FTE

X $2,850 = $2,565.00

Employment Services

2/1998 - 6/1999 Job Seeker Office Visits: 3,784

Job Seeker Facilitated Access: 3,204

Employer Facilitated Access: 121

7/1999 - 6/2000 Job Seeker Office Visits: 870*

Job Seeker Facilitated Access: 2,440*

Employer Facilitated Access: 50* *Estimate

$183,161 Expended

(17 months)

$135,995 Expended

Vocational Rehabilitation (MRS)

(Earlier Data Unavailable)

10/99 - 8/00:

Public School Students 50

Classroom Training 65

Trade School 13

Supported Employment 41

Budget remains fairly constant at $50,000 per year.

Funding amounts are unknown at this time.

12 at Michigan Career Technical Institute; 1 Truck Driving

$90,000/year last 3 years; Reduced to $65,000 for 10/2000

Michigan Service Center System

Service Center Contains JTPA/WIA, Unemployment Agency, Rehabilitation, Veterans Services, Welfare Reform Programs, Employment Services

Minimum No Wrong Door Grant or Service System Grant of $40,000/year

class=Section16>

** Adjusted for inflation to 1990 dollars, the total available has decreased by approximately $17,400 over the last 5 years.

Workforce Enhancement System: Customized Training, Economic Job Training Grants, and Other Programs for Skills Upgrading

class=Section17>

and Skill Credential for Incumbent Workers

Employer	Training Activities	Outcomes			Expenditures
PCC Superior Fabrications, Kincheloe	Will begin apprenticeship training in fall 2000 for machinists and welders. Related training coordinated through International Correspondence School. Pre-tests performed at Bay Mills Community College for 18 applicants.	N/A			N/A
Soo Plastics, Sault Ste. Marie	Extensive training to prepare for ISO 9000 certification, including statistical process control, teamwork, etc. Some training funded through EDJT grants, coordinated through North Central Michigan College.
Cloverland Electric Cooperative, Dafter	28 hours of computer training for 19 employees was provided by Bay Mills Community College in February and March, 2000.	All employees satisfactorily completed training segments.			$2,500
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie	13 students received 2 weeks of training on board games from Bay Mills Community College in 1999.	All trainees completed satisfactorily.			$9,000
Bay Mills Casino and Resort, Brimley	In the last year, Bay Mills Community College has trained approximately 120 people in card or board games.	Attainment of industry standards for all completers.			In-kind. Tribal members received CEUs for completing training.
Employer	Training Activities	Outcomes			Expenditures
Michigan Limestone, Cedarville	Alpena Community College is currently providing training for 3 firms under this grant. Includes statistical process control, welding, equipment operation and repair, and mining				Part of multiple employer EDJT grant for $84,953
Osborne Materials, Drummond Island	Part of the above training program				Part of the above training program
Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians	LSSU is providing training for employees enrolled in 2-year Business Administration degree. Over last 3 years, total course enrollment was 262, with 6 to 24 people enrolled in 19 separate “for credit” classes.	Continuing			$129,060 to date
U.S. Corps of Engineers	1999-2000 LSSU - Non-credit: Basic Computers I and II, Conflict Management - 92 total enrollments	Certificates of Completion			$7,308
Northern Fence	1998-1999 LSSU - Hazardous Materials Handling (non-credit): 3 enrollees	Completed State Requirements			$8,262
Multiple Employer Training: Health Services	1998-1999 LSSU - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training: 15 registered nurses enrolled	Certification			$4,485
Multiple Employer Training: Construction	1997-1998 and 1998-1999 LSSU - MIOSHA Safety Training for employees working in construction: 45 enrollees each year, also open to public	MIOSHA Requirements			$1,125 each year
Employer	Training Activities	Outcomes			Expenditures
Multiple Employer Training: Manufacturing	EDJT Grant through North Central Michigan College for Hoover Precision, Wohlert Special Products, Precision Edge & Soo Plastics from 4/99 - 6/00. Classes covered TQM, ISO, Shop Math, Blueprint Reading, Design of Experiments, MS Office, FMEA/APQP, Statistical Process Control, Intro to PCs. Two of the instructors were contracted through LSSU. Classes ranged from 4 to 28 hours in length	Classes Hoover: 3 Wohlert: 1 Precision Edge: 11 Soo Plastics: 9	Enrollees 42 23 248 483	Completers 42 23 248 483	Hoover Precision $15,445 Wohlert $12,045 Precision Edge $102,990 Soo Plastics $133,417 TOTAL $263,897

Other Non-credit Classes Conducted at LSSU: In response to employer and public demand, a wide variety of courses were taught. Employers frequently sponsored training for their employees. The following summary covers the last three years, with numbers of participants. Most were awarded certificates of completion.
Engineering and Construction Fundamentals of Engineering Review (10) Hazardous Materials and HAZWOPER Refresher Course (28) Industrial Ergonomics (20) Confined Space (31) Hazardous Communication (22) Medical and Health Services Nurse Aide (31) Paramedic (30) Computer Applications and Internet (632) Management, Business and Public Relations Stephen Covey Workshop (54) Real Estate License (11) Strategic Planning (18) Grant Writing (70) Time Management (5) Marketing Health (19) Mergers/Consolidations (10) Corrections Pre-Service Correction Training: 15 credits (86, Newberry and St. Ignace)		Area Employers Who Sponsored Enrollees: Algoma Broadcasting Algoma Health Unit American Red Cross Arbic Construction Autore Oil Avery Construction Bay Mills Tribe Bedour Builders Cedar River Trucks Central Savings Bank Century 21 Chi Chuk Construction Clark Township Cloverland Electric Crystal Mountain Resort Delta County Road Commission Diane Peppler Center Doyle, Inc. Dr. Ranta’s Office Durocher Dock and Dredge Edison Sault Electric Evening News Ginop Plumbing and Heating Harwood Associates HEI Development Hospice Program International Bridge Authority Johnson’s Body Shop Kimberly Clark Corporation Kinross Volunteer Ambulance Kinross Township Lake Superior State University Lezamar Company Mackinac Straits Hospital Manistique Dimension & Dry Kiln			Marquette Home Health Marquette General Hospital Michigan Department of Corrections Moher & Moher Attorneys Nettleton Wood Products Northwood Land Surveying Oscar Larson Company PCC Superior Fabrications Piippo Brothers Pizza Hut Plummer Hospital Precision Edge Reed Associates Roy Electric RKC Corporation Ryba Marine Sadler Motors Sault Area Schools Sault Fire Department Sault Chamber of Commerce Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Shunk Furniture Soo Plastics St. Mary’s School Standard Products Straits Construction Sune’s Home Center Tendercare Trout Lake Township U.S. Corps of Engineers USDA Forest Service Volunteer Fire Departments War Memorial Hospital Weiss Construction Whitefish Township Schools

C. Customer Satisfaction

Employment Service (Department of Career Development Survey 3/99-2/00)

Indicator

Eastern U.P.

Statewide

Veterans

(52)

U.I. Claimants

(330)

Job Seekers

(436)

Employers

(87)

Job Seekers

(7,670)

Employers

(4,423)

Would you use Talent Bank again?

(Percent yes)

84%

78%

93%

80%

94%

Are you satisfied with the level of Michigan Works service?

(Percent extremely satisfied or satisfied)

43%

41%

38%

53%

42%

55%

Are you satisfied with the quality of Michigan Works service?

(Percent extremely satisfied or satisfied)

49%

43%

42%

N/A

45%

N/A

What is your overall satisfaction with the Talent Bank system?

(Percent extremely satisfied or satisfied)

51%

41%

40%

48%

43%

50%

Would you use Job Bank again?

(Percent yes)

73%

69%

68%

91%

70%

93%

What is your overall satisfaction with Job Bank system?

(Percent extremely satisfied or satisfied)

49%

38%

40%

37%

45%

Local Service Center: Mystery Shopper

Date	Type	Overall Satisfaction (Scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest)
1/9/00	Job Seeker - Phone	5
2/29/00	Employer - On-site	9

Customer Satisfaction, continued

Work First (Department of Career Development Survey)

Date	Indicator	Eastern U.P.*		Statewide
Date	Indicator	Participant	Employer	Participant	Employer
7/22/99	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)			60%	69%
7/22/99	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)			73%	78%
10/27/99	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	75%	50%	63%	66%
10/27/99	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	75%	75%	70%	74%
2/17/00	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	29%	50%	63%	67%
2/17/00	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	29%	50%	74%	77%
7/19/00	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	100%	50%	64%	68%
7/19/00	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	100%	100%	71%	82%

* Sample size is too small to be valid: 1-7 participants responded, 2-4 employers responded.

Customer Satisfaction, continued

Job Training Partnership Act (Department of Career Development Survey)

Date	Indicator	Eastern U.P.*		Statewide
Date	Indicator	Participant	Employer	Participant	Employer
7/22/99	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)			81%	75%
7/22/99	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)			88%	88%
10/27/99	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	70%	50%	76%	79%
10/27/99	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	90%	75%	85%	88%
2/17/00	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	100%	75%	78%	84%
2/17/00	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	100%	100%	81%	91%
7/19/00	Service is of High Overall Quality. (Percent strongly agree or agree)	100%	20%	78%	84%
7/19/00	Would recommend Michigan Works Agency to others. (Percent very likely or likely)	100%	80%	81%	91%

* Sample size is too small to be valid: 1-7 participants responded, 2-4 employers responded.

	Indicator	Local Performance	State Performance
Academic Achievement (continued)	Graduate Rates	1993-94 77.0% 1994-95 86.4% 1995-96 85.3% 1996-97 84.9% 1997-98 84.1%	1993-94 75.0% 1994-95 85.3% 1995-96 1996-97 76.4% 1997-98 82.8%
	Continuing Education Rates	Unknown
Career Guidance and Workforce Readiness	Career Awareness: EDPs	This is one of the EAG’s priorities for the Career Preparation System. Each school has a goal of obtaining parentally-approved EDPs for each student.
	Employability: Work Keys, etc.	Initial use of Work Keys this year included three pilot areas and the Work First Summer Youth program. No data is available yet.
Career and Technical Education	High School Graduates Completing CTE	Enrolled Completed Percent Cmpt’d 1995 455 181 40% 1996 569 290 51% 1997 879 317 36% 1998 926 466 50% 1999 906 390 43%	Enrolled Completed Percent Cmpt’d 1995 72,669 44,442 61% 1996 83,242 52,825 63% 1997 123,943 71,469 58% 1998 121,451 74,714 62% 1999 124,590 68,873 55%
	Completers with Industry Skill Standards/Certifications	Data Not Available
	Training Related Placement Rates	Data Not Available
	Related Career Preparation Options: Cooperative Education, Youth Apprenticeship, etc.	LSSU and Sault Area Career Center have designed 3 “one+one” programs which lead to Associate Degrees in Manufacturing Technology, Transportation Services and Construction Technology. School-to-Registered Apprenticeship available through Precision Edge.
Post-Secondary Education
Lake Superior State University	Indicator	Local Performance	State Performance
Academic Achievement	Graduation Rates 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00	Enrollment Graduation 3369 694 3427 495 3197 721	Enrollment Graduation 52,788 263,074 45,567 267,154 52,627 256,905
	Continuing Education and Transfer Rates	Data Gap
	Developmental Education Enrollments and Completions	Data Gap
Technical and Occupational Education	Enrollment and Completion Trends	Data Gap
	Completers with Industry Skill Standards/Certifications	Data Gap
	Training Related Placement Rates and Earnings	Data Gap
	Related Career Preparation Options: Apprenticeship, Internships, etc.	Data Gap

Three Year Goals	Year One	Year Two	Year Three
Goal One: Improve Workforce Readiness	Obtain baseline data from key employers on work ethic issues. Obtain information from K-12 education on measures currently being taken to foster workplace readiness skills. Encourage employers to ask for school records and use them in hiring practices. Gather information about the use of technology in the classroom (K-12 and adult education). Facilitate a more formalized dialog between employers and post-secondary institutions to address “mismatch” of graduates’ skill sets with the needs of local employers.	Continue to gather data on work ethic issues. Investigate the use of workplace readiness assessment tools (Work Keys?) to evaluate students, job applicants and employees. Continue to support employer use of school records in hiring and begin to assess impact. Support technology training for teachers and continue to monitor its use. Broaden the discussions to include other unmet niches for training in and out of the region; move toward shaping programs to better fill local and state needs.	Promote the use of workplace readiness assessment tools in schools and with employers, as appropriate. Assess the progress employers have made in hiring employees by the use of school records. Continue to support technology training for teachers and monitor its use. Continue these efforts and document the enhancements, additions and deletions of programs as a response to these dialogs.
Three Year Goals	Year One	Year Two	Year Three

class=Section25> Goal Two: Improve Academic Performance in the Region	Encourage area schools to adopt Career Pathways. Investigate methods to perform earlier assessments of students’ special talents and abilities and challenge them to go beyond minimal performance expectations. Seek grants to fund additional elementary services such as entrepreneurial programs, gifted/talented activities, and character development. Increase the number of students who take the high school MEAP test, thus increasing their opportunities to earn Merit Scholarships.	Seek creative ways to reward schools that have adopted Career Pathways. Begin implementation of methods to identify students’ special talents and abilities. Initiate at least three new programs in area schools that offer entrepreneurial, gifted/talented, character development or similar programs. Increase the number of students who are awarded Merit Scholarships; investigate how Work Keys can impact the award of scholarships.	Reward schools that have adopted Career Pathways. Continue to expand the earlier identification of students’ special talents and abilities. Continue to seek funding sources and develop additional opportunities for students to access exemplary programs. Increase the number of students who are awarded Merit Scholarships, based on MEAP, ACT and Work Keys scores.
Three Year Goals	Year One	Year Two	Year Three
Goal Three: Attract More High Tech/High Skill Jobs to the Region	Conduct a detailed assessment of the high tech/high skill training programs at the career center, community college and university to determine the credentials obtained by their graduates and the numbers of graduates who complete those programs. Seek funds to assist economic developers with marketing tools to reach high tech/high skill employers.	Increase the industry-recognized credentials in high tech/high skill programs available to students. Increase the numbers of graduates who attain such certifications. Continue to work with economic developers in attracting new employers.	Further increase the number of students who enter and graduate from programs with industry-recognized credentials. Document the number of new high tech/high skill jobs created in the region .