In any conversation, meeting, or event within the automotive and mobility industry, the main topic you will hear is talent attraction and retention. The population growth rate is declining in Michigan, there is a lingering negative perception of the industry among youth, and we are at an inflection point regarding the type of careers we need to fill to remain competitive in the automotive industry.
This problem is finally being addressed in real and tangible ways. For one, the state has invested millions into several pathways, including the campaign and platform, a high-tech talent fund to drive talent to high-tech careers, and the Make MI Home pilot grant. Secondly, companies, postsecondary education, and organizations like MichAuto are coming together and establishing impactful partnerships and programs that are building the talent pipeline.
Ignite Students’ Spark With Social Media
To build the pipeline before students choose other career fields or states to relocate to, we need to change the perception at a younger age and start having those conversations about career choices earlier. According to the MichAuto Perception Study, less than 10% of young individuals across the state select automotive or mobility as a career field of interest.
MichAuto launched the You Drive the Future campaign to connect with this population online. Through social media, MichAuto highlights the “cool” career options in the automotive and mobility industry and the lifestyle that would be available to them in Michigan. This has been a great step in the right direction, with an audience of over 6,000 on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube and 3.8 million content views by the Gen Z audience.
Extend the Communications With Parents and Counselors
To bring this message home, we need to start educating parents and counselors on communicating these career opportunities. Social media can spark interest, but what happens when this population starts asking hard-hitting questions, like “What degree or credentials should I be pursuing? What does the path forward look like? How do I find an internship?”
These conversations have been started on the corporate level through partnerships that have been established focused on talent attraction and retention, such as the Chamber and community colleges. But what is the next step, and how do we amplify this effort?
Re-introducing the MichAuto Talent and Awareness Committee
This is one of many topics the newly relaunched MichAuto Talent and Awareness Committee will address. This dedicated group of Human Resources and Marketing and Communications professionals from MichAuto investor companies will convene to discuss workforce-related issues.
They will also provide input and support for talent projects that promote the automotive and mobility industry, attract and retain talent, and grow the pipeline. Together, this group will shape and inform MichAuto’s talent work. Additionally, this committee will provide a platform to discuss critical talent issues companies may be facing and utilize a community of professionals in similar fields as a sounding board for resolutions and new innovative solutions. As MichAuto’s talent work continues to develop and evolve with the new challenges the workforce faces, this group will be critical in creating real change.
Please note that this committee is open to MichAuto investors only. Each company can volunteer two representatives to sit on the committee and attend at least three of the four quarterly meetings each year. For more information, please contact Jenny Orletski-Dehne, MichAuto’s Strategic Initiatives Director, at jorletski@detroitchamber.com.