The team worked with Capital Area Michigan Works on re-tooling previous “job expos”, to ensure the event delivers on the promise of being a valid job connector event for employees and employers.  Companies were screened to ensure there had viable jobs to fill, and employees were screened to ensure they were seeking full-time professional level employment.  The results included 60 participating employers and over 400 job seekers, and also included workshops for employees and a sho...

 The team worked with MSU to present the region’s only internship fair for college students.  We expanded the event this year to include a panel of local entrepreneurs, to expose students to the opportunities that entrepreneurship can provide.  While there were over 100 participating employers, follow-up research indicated many employers are still not familiar with the event and the talent pool it offers, as well as how to hire, manage and mentor interns.  Therefore, the team...

 The team has been working with two DeWitt High School teachers on their DeWitt Creativity Group project in which they offer an environment and resources to allow students to be creative and innovative. The team hopes to better establish this model and begin to distribute it to other districts as a way to help support creative students in their school system.  

 2009 was the inaugural year for Next Bright Idea, our idea competition that was created to foster and reward innovation and creativity and foster entrepreneurial thinking.  This year, we are repeating the collegiate edition and expanding to add a high school edition, in combination with the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour events. The competition will be run very similar to the college edition including an online idea submission process at NextBrightIdea.com.  Then on February 24, w...

 The First Impressions Strategy Team, in collaborate with many others, is leading an initiative to connect college students with our regional community.  Several initiatives are already in place to connect with local businesses for internships and mentorships; however, we need to do a better job “selling our community” as a great place to live and play, as well as work.  Studies increasing point to the fact that college graduates are first choosing WHERE to live, then finding empl...

The team has worked closely with Junior Achievement in an effort to expand the reach of JA of Mid-Michigan. As part of the charge, the team has promised to help increase the reach JA has across the tri-counties by 20.11% in 2011. We have asked all the Talent Strategy Team members to become a volunteer and teach JA in the schools throughout the region.

 So far, 135 businesses have pledged their support for life-long learning in greater Lansing.  It's great progress to date, but to reach the goal of 500 businesses by the end of 2010 we need to step it up and show the community greater Lansing's businesses care about education.  By taking the pledge, local businesses agree to take one, no-cost step each month to show the community education is important.  Steps may range from sending an email to staff to participating in a lo...

 Passport to Adventure is going strong.  Students and families have until August 31 to fill their Passport postcards and mail them back for a chance to win an iPad, HP Netbook, iPod and more prizes.  For an update on prizes, to download a Passport or for a list of Passport destinations, visit www.learnforourfuture.org.

 Next Bright Idea 2011 will be launching this fall in similar fashion as 2010. On December 6, 2010, the submissions will begin rolling in and voting can begin. The Next Bright Idea event will likely take place in early 2011. The prize will continue to be $5,000 and business coaching to the top 10 ideas. Stay tuned for more updates.

Dan Redford and Charles Eveslage, our team at the Shanghai Expo will end their work there on July 31.  While there, their blogs (www.shanghai-exposed.com) have received a wide following, including US Consul General Beatrice Camp.  They have done several radio interviews on TalkLansing.net and WJR.  In addition, they have identified potential opportunities for Leap to follow-up on:  investment in our region, sales to China for our firms, and ways to connect MSU and its student...