Education-to-Employment Partnership (E2P)

The West Michigan Education-to-Employment Partnership (E2P) is a collaboration between employers, education and training providers, and community organizations to help recent high school graduates and individuals who are un- or underemployed discover, access, and complete skills-based pathways into high-demand jobs requiring postsecondary training. 

E2P will develop and promote a regional opportunity marketplace that provides prospective learners with shared coaching, resources, and wraparound support to:

Generate More Talent

More residents in the workforce with in-demand skills and credentials

Increase Efficiency of Talent Creation

More credentials awarded faster and cheaper than before 

Create Regional Affinity

More graduates retained to live and work in West Michigan

The E2P regional opportunity marketplace is driven by real-time data and establishes greater clarity between education and employment by enabling students and jobseekers to make informed decisions regarding the return-on-investment associated with each potential pathway.

All users leveraging the E2P regional opportunity marketplace will be able to:

  1. See which local jobs are high-demand and earn above-average wages
  2. Explore what those jobs entail and which local companies are hiring for these positions
  3. Identify which local education and training providers have programs intended to develop the skills needed for these roles
  4. See which education and training programs qualify for federal, state, local, and/or employer-sponsored funding

Current employees can be referred to the platform to explore, enroll, and complete postsecondary education and training programs that align to current and future skill gaps within an organization — maximizing the value of employer-sponsored tuition assistance programs. 

The Path to High-Wage Careers Starts Here

DISCOVER. ACCESS. COMPLETE.

Build

Build a profile to identify the skills gained from previous education and employment experiences 

Explore

Explore local jobs matching skills and interests and see which education and training programs align with pathway 

Enroll

Enroll in program and receive support to reduce costs and address barriers to completion 

Apply

Apply for local jobs matching the skills developed and credentials earned

What to Expect

Each stakeholder will engage with E2P differently, and there is no cost to participate. Outlined below is what you can expect when you get involved in the pilot.

  • Leverage the regional opportunity marketplace to:
    • Post jobs, internships, and other work-based learning opportunities
    • Recruit candidates with desired skills
    • Refer employees to the platform to discover and access developmental opportunities
  • Utilize existing talent development dollars to sponsor training pathways for employees.
  • Refer employees to E2P success coaches, if internal career coaches aren’t available.
    • Success coaches will help learners braid funds to reduce tuition costs and connect with resources to mitigate barriers.

In addition to the foundational activities outlined above, employers can opt-in to participate in one of several action teams illustrated below. 

  • Leverage the regional opportunity marketplace to:
    • Maintain accurate course catalogs
    • Recruit prospective students
    • Refer students to the platform to explore local jobs aligned with their program of study
  • Ensure credentials can stack along co-designed, skills-based pathways
  • Ensure enrollment and scheduling flexibility
  • Ensure credits are awarded for prior learning
  • Refer students to E2P success coaches, if internal career coaches aren’t available.
    • Success coaches will help learners braid funds to reduce tuition costs and connect with resources to mitigate barriers.

In addition to the foundational activities outlined above, education and training providers can opt-in to participate in one of several action teams illustrated below. 

Project Milestones

The Partnership will develop and operationalize the critical inputs illustrated below by December 31, 2025, resulting in a business model and pricing structure that will sustain the initiative post-pilot. 

Join the Partnership

Interested in learning more or getting involved? Take a moment to complete the sign-up form and let us know how you want to engage. 

Sign Up Today