TalentFirst

This week, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week—and the educators who make everything else possible.

At TalentFirst, our commitment to making sure kids can read starts with teachers. Early literacy is the foundation for long-term success in school, work, and life, and it’s shaped every day by educators who show up with skill, patience, and care.

Thank you to the teachers who build confidence, curiosity, and opportunity for our kids—and, in doing so, strengthen our future workforce and community. 📚❤️

Maintenance technician shortages aren’t not a future concern—it’s impacting operations today

Across West Michigan manufacturing, unfilled maintenance technician roles are affecting production uptime, reliability, and cost. Through TalentFirst’s TPM West MI Manufacturing cohort, 10 employers projected a need for ~350 maintenance technicians by 2030, with the most significant gaps at the mid‑career level.

To address this challenge, TalentFirst is launching the Manufacturing Talent Alliance—an employer‑led initiative designed to build a stronger, more reliable pipeline of maintenance technicians for West Michigan manufacturers.

The Manufacturing Talent Alliance is focused on:

🔶 Aligning employers around shared talent needs

🔶 Reducing vacancy time and hiring costs

🔶 Strengthening the long‑term maintenance technician pipeline through coordinated, employer‑driven solutions

This work is built for manufacturers who are feeling the pressure today—and want to be part of shaping sustainable solutions for tomorrow.

If maintenance technician hiring is a priority for your organization, we’d welcome the conversation.

👉 Comment below or contact Carly Smyly, MSOP at [email protected] to learn more.

When students become confident readers, everything changes 📚

Wayland Union Schools’ Dorr Elementary has been named a 2026 TalentFirst Literacy Leader Award recipient—recognized for its outstanding commitment to early literacy and student success.

This recognition, awarded to just six schools across a 13-county West Michigan region, highlights schools demonstrating strong outcomes through research-based practices aligned with the science of reading.

At a special March is Reading Month celebration, the impact of that work came to life through the voices of students and leaders. For Maddie, the journey started early: “I first fell in love with reading at school. I appreciate that our schools have good books to read. I appreciate literacy skills because they will prepare me for life.”

That foundation is exactly what TalentFirst and its partners are working to strengthen. “TalentFirst is focused on the future. We look at the students in this room and in our communities and we want to prepare you for good job, and it all starts with reading,” said TalentFirst President Kevin Stotts. “You have a world of books to read. So many opportunities await you.”

Business leaders echoed that message, connecting early literacy to long-term success. “I was in your shoes not too long ago. My teachers and staff allowd me to be curious and live an adventure through reading. We know as business leaders that early literacy prepares you for success into the future. So remain curious – keep reading,” said Scott Hill of Varnum LLP and The Hill Family Fund.

And as Michigan Representative Rashelle Smit shared, “Literacy strengthens students’ confidence and sets them up for lifelong success.”

With support from TalentFirst CEO Council members, the school also received a $1,000 investment to continue strengthening literacy efforts.
Congratulations to the students, educators, and leaders at Dorr Elementary for setting a powerful example of what’s possible.

Our visit to Lakeview Elementary was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when a community rallies around literacy. 📚

We were honored to celebrate Lakeview as a Literacy Leadership Award recipient and present a check from TalentFirst CEO Council members supporting their incredible work to build a culture of reading.

As Principal Tiffany Jackson shared, “We are celebrating the amazing dedication of our staff and administrators who make our students great readers… I love that you love to read great books.” That passion is clearly paying off—students have already quintupled their March reading goal, surpassing 20,000 minutes and now aiming for 50,000.

And the joy of reading is real: “I really love reading because every time I do I can go on a big adventure… I don’t even have to pack a bag,” one student told us.

From free birthday books from the school’s book vending machine to classrooms full of stories, Lakeview is creating lifelong readers. As Superintendent Kelly Nielsen reminded students, “The love of reading lasts a lifetime.”

As Rep. Pat Outman shared, “I learned to read in this very school. It’s served me well in life. With schools like this and literacy numbers like this, Michigan is on a literacy comeback.”

This work matters—not just for students today, but for the future of our workforce and communities. As Chairman of Metal Flow and program sponsor Leslie Brown shared, this event makes her think of her employees and others across West Michigan—because strong readers become strong workers.

Congratulations to the entire Lakeview team, students, and partners who are helping lead Michigan’s literacy comeback. 👏

To learn more about our early literacy efforts, including the Literacy Leadership Awards, visit https://lnkd.in/gb_kmyFJ

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