And by that, we mean jobless rates. Employment data for September 2019 is out and the regional jobless rate fell more than half a percentage point compared to August. Low unemployment (3.3%) in the Kalamazoo-Portage MSA continues to be the catalyst driving down...
Polytek Development Corp. is moving forward with plans to expand its facility in Comstock Charter Township. This project plans to generate a total private investment of $2.1 million and create 28 jobs! As a result of the expansion and new jobs, the leading...
Decreasing Talent Pool? Now, That's Scary! Handmade airplanes flew as water poured through pumps and giant Jenga crashed to the ground. What seems like a day of fun for area middle school students at MiCareerQuest Southwest doubled as a glimpse into future career...
Economic growth and how to achieve it are at the top of the platform for most candidates for government office—whether it be for local, state, or national seats of representation. Regional economic catalyst, Southwest Michigan First, reached out to 2019 candidates for...
The Southwest Michigan economy is often recognized for the strong roles that its pharmaceutical, medical device, furniture, agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing industries play. But what about design? Michigan, as a whole, is brimming with designers of all...
Company Eimo Technologies It's Nice to Meet You The first instinct of many is to pronounce this company’s name as “Eee-mo,” “Eye-mo,” or even “El-mo.” (That’s right, as in the star of Sesame Street!) However, the correct pronunciation goes back to the company’s...
USING EMPATHY AND PLENTY OF POST-ITS A Q+A WITH ALISON SHIELDS __________________________________ What is your role at Stryker? I’m a user experience (UX) researcher on Stryker’s product development team. My job is to advocate for the people who will eventually use...
Comstock Township will sparkle more brilliantly thanks to the 25,200-square-foot Forman Glass expansion that broke ground in June 2019. While the aesthetic impact Forman Glass brings to a project is dazzling, the company’s solutions are practical. This 57-year-old...
Sometimes a spark of inspiration is all it takes Inspiration struck David Maurer when he was a student at the University of Michigan. Maurer was studying biology, but he found that the subject didn’t really suit him. One summer, he got a job working the assembly line...
Two local counties—Kalamazoo and St. Joseph—will be seeking tax dollars to fund an expansion of career and technical education during the Tuesday, November 5 election. This comes at a time when existing regional employers of all sizes face a workforce skills gap and...
