Greetings from the Director:

Welcome to the etcs website!

In late January, at our annual etcs joint board retreat and annual meeting, we made a commitment to inform our community about what we do and how we can help. Ironically, that very same day, Pfizer announced it was pulling out of Michigan which meant Ann Arbor was losing its largest private sector employer. Luckily, we were ready and able to help.

Responding to Pfizer and Automotive Transitions

Many people in our county are being either directly or indirectly affected by the closing of Pfizer’s facility as well as the decline of the automotive industry, etcs is working with partner organizations across the county to assist people who work at Pfizer, or any other employer, in planning and implementing their next steps.

Community Talent Survey

People from across the Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County region are asked to complete an on-line Community Talent Survey. The survey is anonymous and confidential. The online survey is available through multiple websites across Washtenaw County including the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce, Ann Arbor SPARK, City of Ann Arbor, Chelsea Community Hospital, City of Saline, MichBio, Washtenaw Community College, Washtenaw County Government and the Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce. The survey will be available through May 1, 2007.

The survey is going to be used by the organizations to develop programs and communicate with the community. The partnership of community organizations are working together to assist community residents as they explore their options, access resources and find new careers. Finding out the answers to these questions is an important step in making sure that the right resources are available and that people know about them.

Boot Camps

Boot Camps are being offered for people who are looking for new career opportunities or are considering starting their own business. These Boot Camps provide an intensive one-day opportunity to learn from area experts, obtain information about resources and obtain one-on-one mentoring. Boot camps are a way to learn about your options with no strings attached.

Michigan Works!/etcs Access Points

Bringing the services of etcs into the community is important to us. etcs is working with the leaders of community and faith-based organizations to open Access Points across the county. Access Points will provide residents with information and services to help find a job and explore education and training options.

As some of you know etcs is a multi-service agency that strives to bridge the activities between community economic development and workforce development. We do many things from offering housing assistance to helping teens find their first job. We also help adults learn new skills or find new jobs, and work with talented senior citizens in our Foster Grandparent program. Most importantly, we strive to work collaboratively with others in the community by convening innovative and effective partnerships like the MEGA-Partnership that help more of our residents, neighborhoods and businesses to successfully weather difficult transitions and flourish right here in Washtenaw County.

If you have any questions or comments, please email me directly at: rushert@ewashtenaw.org.