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SEMCA provides a wealth of different programs operating in the Southeast Michigan area. Below is a list of SEMCA’s primary programs and services. Click the toggles to open a description.
SEMCA Michigan Works! American Job Centers operate adult programs on a year-round basis. The funds allocated to the MWAs for the adult program must be used to support core, intensive, and training services.
Basic Career Services: Basic career services are available to all dislocated workers and may include: Program information and basic assessment, general information, individual job development, advanced job club, advanced screened referrals, group activities, job search.
Individualized Career Services: Individualized career services are designed for dislocated workers who have been unable to obtain employment through core services and have been determined to be in need of more individualized services. Individualized career services may include: Comprehensive specialized assessment, individual employment planning, counseling, short-term pre-vocational skills, case management, literacy activity, out of area job search, relocation assistance, internship, and work experience.
Training Services: Occupational skills training, On-the-Job training, workplace training with related instruction, registered apprenticeship, incumbent worker training, pre-apprenticeship training, skill upgrading and retraining, entrepreneurial training, transitional jobs, adult education and literacy training provided in combination with any other training services.
To be eligible for participation in the WIOA Adult program an individual must be 18 years of age or older, a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and registered with Selective Service (if applicable) to receive services under the adult program, with priority given to: recipients of public assistance, other low-income individuals and individuals who are basic skills deficient. Career services (basic and individualized) under the adult program are available to adults who are employed or unemployed, and are unable to obtain employment or retain employment that leads to self-sufficiency. Training services may be made available to employed or unemployed adults who have met the eligibility criteria under training services and have been determined to be unable to obtain or retain employment through career services.
SEMCA works with our local Adult Education providers to help provide the necessary educational skills needed to begin a new career or advance in a a current one. Each American job center works with partners in their area.
Adult Education provides an opportunity for adults to improve or achieve education levels equivalent to those of high-school graduates each year. Instruction is tailored to meet the individual needs of adult students. Standardized tests identify existing skill levels, appropriate instruction, and academic gains due to instruction.
Description of Services
Over 100 programs statewide provide a range of free or low cost services, such as:
Adult Basic Education (ABE) – Help adults improve their reading, writing and mathematics skills for people below the ninth grade level.
Adult Secondary Education (ASE) – Help learners achieve the education needed to obtain a high school equivalency credential and transition to college, training and/or employment.
ASE options include:
Remediation – You have your high school diploma but need to improve your reading, writing or math skills.
High School Equivalency (HSE) – Instruction that prepares you to take and pass a high school equivalency test such as the GED®. Get more information about the GED test and GED to School program. (*Warning Regarding Misleading GED® Claims – The State of Michigan GED® diploma cannot be obtained through the internet. Passing the GED® tests usually requires extensive preparation. Tests are administered only at Pearson Vue® Testing Centers under the direction of Person Vue® and the GED Testing Service.)
High School Completion (HSC) – Only need a few credits to earn your high school diploma? HSC allows you to earn high school credit and obtain an adult education high school diploma.
English Language Acquisition (ELA) – Help non-native speakers improve their English skills to be able to further their education, help their children with schoolwork and activities, obtain training and employment.
Integrated ELA and Civics Education (IELCE) – Assists non-native speakers to improve their English skills while learning how to become an effective parent, citizen, and worker.
Literacy Councils – Provide one-on-one tutoring for a range of academic levels, but usually for adults who have very low-level reading and math skills.
SEMCA Michigan Works! recognizes that the best way to help individuals obtain employment is to partner with employers. By understanding and meeting the talent and skills needs of employers we are better able to connect workers to the actual job openings. You will be assigned a Business Solutions Professional (BSP) to work closely with your company to understand and meet your specific business needs. Learn more.
SEMCA Michigan Works! American Job Centers operate Dislocated Worker programs on a year-round basis. The funds allocated to the MWAs for the dislocated worker program must be used to provide career (basic and individualized) services and training services.
Basic Career Services: Program information and basic assessment, general information, individual job development, advanced job club, advanced screened referrals, group activities, job search.
Individualized Career Services: Comprehensive specialized assessment, individual employment planning, counseling, short-term pre-vocational skills, case management, literacy activity, out of area job search, relocation assistance, internship and work experience.
Training Services: Occupational skills training, On-the-Job training (OJT), workplace training with related instruction, registered apprenticeship (which incorporates both OJT and classroom training), incumbent worker training, pre-apprenticeship training, skill upgrading and retraining, entrepreneurial training, transitional jobs, adult education and literacy training provided in combination with any other training services.
To be eligible for participation in the WIOA Title I Dislocated Worker program, that is, to receive career services, and to meet the eligibility requirements for training services, an individual must be 18 years of age or older, a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and registered with Selective Service (if applicable) to receive services under the dislocated worker program. Participant eligibility is also dependent upon also dependent upon:
- Has been terminated or laid off, or who has received a notice of termination or layoff, and
- Is eligible for or has exhausted entitlement to unemployment compensation; or
- Has been employed for a duration sufficient to demonstrate attachment to the workforce, but is not eligible for unemployment compensation; and
- Is unlikely to return to a previous industry or occupation; or
- Has been terminated or laid off, or has received a notice of termination or layoff, from employment as a result of any permanent closure of, or any substantial layoff at, a plant, facility, or enterprise; or
- Is employed at a facility at which the employer has made a general announcement that such facility will close within 180 days; or
- Is employed at a facility at which the employer has made a general announcement that such facility will close; or
- Was self-employed but is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions; or
- Is a displaced homemaker.
Employment Services are available through SEMCA’s American Job Centers. Services available to all job seekers include (but are not limited to):
- Access to the Career/Resource Center with staff and tools to assist you in finding employment
- Job Board featuring local job postings and access to the Pure Michigan Talent Connect system
- Job, career, and skill self-assessment tools
- Resources and workshops for job search including resume and cover letter writing and interviewing skills
- Information on local and statewide labor market information
- Directories of human service agencies and information for supportive services and referrals to community agencies and organizations
- Information on financial aid, occupational training, and workplace accommodation
- Reemployment Services for Unemployment Claimants
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 provides that state agencies be given maximum flexibility in designing Employment & Training (E&T) programs for individuals receiving food assistance.
The State of Michigan operates a voluntary FAE&T program, which is jointly administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the WD. Even though the E&T program is voluntary, there is an individual work requirement, and Food Assistance Program (FAP) benefits are time-limited for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs.) An ABAWD is between the ages of 18 and 52 years old (beginning the first calendar month after the 18th birthday through the last calendar month before the 53rd birthday). Also, the ABAWD will not have a minor (under the age of 18) on their FAP case.
Time Limited Food Assistance (TLFA) allows a non-deferred ABAWD to receive FAP benefits for three months in a 36-month period without meeting the work requirement. The three months are referred to as “countable months.” Fulfilling the ABAWD work requirement is essential for TLFA individuals referred to the Michigan Works! Agency (MWA) to maintain their FAP benefits. However, FAE&T participation is not required. The TLFA individuals can choose how they will meet the work requirement, and FAE&T is one option.
An individual who has received three countable months can regain FAP eligibility (within the 36-month period) by complying with the work requirement or meeting a deferral criterion. The MDHHS is responsible for determining if an individual receives a countable month and has the authority to grant good cause and remove a countable month.
The FAE&T Program is available to all adults aged 18 through 59 years old, who receive FAP and are not receiving cash benefits from the MDHHS. The adult member is eligible beginning the first calendar month after the 18th birthday through the last calendar month before the 60th birthday. The participant must be able to work upon program completion. The FAE&T program is also available to FAP recipients over the age of 59 on a case-by-case basis.
Michigan was granted a waiver from TLFA so all ABAWDs are deferred from the work requirement through February 28, 2025. The 36-month period associated with TLFA will restart when the waiver is ended.
The Going PRO Talent Fund (Talent Fund), formerly known as the Skilled Trades Training Fund, makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry. Learn more.
Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) is the state-based affiliate of the national organization, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), one of the largest and most successful school-to-work systems for at-risk and disadvantaged young people in the United States.
JMG works strategically with businesses, education, and community partners to build a skilled labor force for the future. Youth participants benefit from between 60 -120 hours of services, such as soft skill development, barrier removal, employment, and post-secondary planning.
SEMCA provides JMG programming at 11 different locations that service over 400 youth.
6 Out-of-School Dropout Recovery Model Programs at the following America’s Job Centers: ACCESS, Downriver Community Coalition (DCC), Educational Data Systems, Inc. (EDSI), Employment & Training Designs, Inc. (ETDI) in Wayne and Highland Park, and Monroe – Intermediate School District.
3 In-school Multi-Year Dropout Prevention Model Programs: River Rouge High School, Hamtramck High School, and Ecorse High School.
2 In-school Alternative Dropout Prevention Model Programs: Orchard Center High School (Monroe) and Starkweather Academy (Plymouth-Canton
SEMCA recognizes the importance of helping our refugee and immigrant population transition into employment. Our New Americans initiative, a nurturing hub for eligible immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Here, you’ll save time, avoid frustration, and find the tools, knowledge, and resources essential for your journey toward self-sufficiency and smooth integration. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you every step of the way.
All immigrants, refugees, and asylees authorized to work in the United States are eligible to benefit from our services.
PATH is a robust, results-oriented work participation program designed to identify barriers and help clients connect to the resources they will need to obtain employment. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) staff determines the readiness of Family Independence Program (FIP) applicants to be referred to the SEMCA contractors, that serve Wayne County (excluding Detroit) and Monroe County for Partnership. Accountability. Training. Hope (PATH).
The primary goal of the program is to assist clients with achieving self-sufficiency. The PATH curriculum prepares clients for both the pursuit of employment and the skills necessary to gain a career. Life-skills instruction, resume writing, training, education, and other work-readiness activities are utilized to promote employability skills. Supportive services are provided as appropriate to help remove any barriers to employment.
The program features a 10-day assessment period during which barriers to employment are identified and career coaches work individually with clients to connect them with resources to address these barriers.
SEMCA has implemented non-traditional options of participation to offer a more robust way to service our clients. Our coaching model allows clients to be in the “driver’s seat” to work towards their goals, while the career coaches assist with the navigation of accomplishing those goals. Our integration of technology with participation assists with removing the digital divide and equips our clients with the tools to comfortably navigate a technological driven workforce.
If you are interested in participating in this program, contact your local Department of Health and Human Services office (DHHS), where they will determine eligibility and provide a referral.
Many families seeking cash assistance through the Michigan Family Independence Program (FIP) face significant barriers in securing and retaining employment. From child care to transportation and literacy, career coaches cite a long list of barriers that can keep families from achieving self-sufficiency.
Applicants for cash assistance will take part in a robust, results-oriented work participation program – PATH. The program features a 10-day assessment period during which barriers to employment are identified and coaches work individually with clients to connect them with resources to address these barriers. An emphasis on training, employment and education is at the heart of the program. The PATH program is administered by SEMCA in Wayne County (excluding Detroit) and Monroe County.
The TAA program is a federal program that assists U.S. workers who have lost or may lose their jobs as a result of foreign trade. This program seeks to provide adversely affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become reemployed. TAA includes a variety of benefits and reemployment services to help unemployed workers prepare for and obtain suitable employment. Workers may be eligible for training, a job search allowance, a relocation allowance, and other reemployment readjustment services.
Additionally, weekly trade readjustment allowances (TRA) may be payable to eligible workers following their exhaustion of unemployment benefits. Usually, TRA benefits will be paid only if an individual is enrolled in an approved training program.
Petition Process
The first step to receiving TAA benefits and services is to file a petition on-line or by mail with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). The petition may be filed by:
- Three or more workers in the same firm or subdivision
- The workers’ employer
- A union official or other duly authorized representative of such workers
- A State of Michigan Workforce Development Agency or Michigan Works! Agency representative
Upon receiving a petition, USDOL initiates an investigation to determine whether the circumstances of the layoff meet the group eligibility criteria established by the program.
TAA Program Eligibility
A petition identifies a worker group at a specific firm or subdivision and covers all individuals in that group. Generally, if a worker is laid off, a petition must be submitted within one year of the layoff for that worker to be covered by the petition and the certification, if USDOL grants the petition. A group of workers may be eligible for TAA if their jobs are lost or threatened due to trade-related circumstances as determined by the USDOL investigation.
After the investigation, the USDOL determines group eligibility to apply for TAA benefits and services.
Workers in a certified group will be notified by their local Michigan Works! Agency, at which time they may apply for individual eligibility for benefits and services.
If a worker is a member of a worker group certified by the USDOL, that worker may receive benefits: For more information visit your local American Job Center.
Resources
Veterans with at least one day of active military service and eligible spouses are eligible to receive Priority of Service. Priority of Service allows veterans and eligible spouses to receive Michigan Works! services before or instead of non-veterans. To take advantage of this entitlement, be sure to identify yourself as a veteran or eligible spouse to Michigan Works! Service Center staff upon entering a service center. Learn more.
Wayne County College Access Network (WCCAN) works with community leaders in education, government, nonprofits, businesses, and skilled trades to raise awareness to help lower the barrier in underserved communities and help student ambitions after 12th grade through programs, events, and peer outreach opportunities. WCCAN’s goal is to increase Out Wayne County post-secondary attainment to 60% by 2030. WCCAN’s mission is to increase the percentage of Out-Wayne County students graduates with post-secondary attainment to 60% by 2030.
SEMCA youth programs service 14-24 year olds in out-Wayne and Monroe Counties. Youth Program offices are currently located in the cities of Dearborn, Highland Park,, Livonia, Monroe, Southgate and Wayne. SEMCA’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program provides career exploration and guidance, continued support for educational attainment, opportunities for skills training in high-demand industries and occupations, and culminates with a good job along a career pathway or enrollment in post-secondary education.
SEMCA’s WIOA Youth Program provides:
- Career exploration activities, including Talent Tours to visit employers in high-demand industries and occupations
- Labor market information and activities that help youth prepare for, and transition to, post-secondary education and training
- Tutoring, study skills training, alternative secondary school offerings, dropout recovery services
- Paid and unpaid work experiences, including internships, job shadowing, and summer employment opportunities
- Occupational skills training
- Leadership development opportunities
- Supportive services, adult mentoring, follow-up services
- Comprehensive guidance and counseling
- Financial literacy education
- Entrepreneurial skills training
- Community service projects
- And much more
Other youth programs:
- Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates
- Manufacturing Day
- Mi Career Quest
- Wayne County College Access Network
- Youth Build
- Summer Programming