By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-995490.mp3
LANSING, MI –
Governor Rick Snyder will deliver his fifth special message of the year Thursday at Delta College near Saginaw. The governor will outline a strategy to better match worker skills to positions that are available right now.
As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, the governor is looking for ways to bring down Michigan's persistently high unemployment rate.
More than one in 10 working-age people in Michigan are unemployed and actively seeking jobs. Governor Snyder is expected to say one big problem is too few people with skills that match positions that are available right now in fields like welding and software design.
Sara Wurfel is the governor's press secretary. She says the governor believes employers will respond if workers pick up new, in-demand skills.
"He believes the Number One most-important recourse Michigan has is its talent, its people, and the skills and the background that they bring," he says.
The governor is expected to say the state and educators need to do a better job of identifying employment trends and the skills businesses will be looking for. Snyder's predecessor, Governor Jennifer Granholm, also made job training a high priority.