Michigan Earns Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Business Development
WASHINGTON – The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity was honored with the prestigious Pinnacle Award for Business Development for its Michigan Energy Workforce Development Consortium initiative. Presented by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies’ (NASWA) Employment & Training Committee at the 2026 Winter Policy Forum in National Harbor, MD, this award is bestowed upon a state demonstrating excellence and innovation in the area of employer engagement.
The Michigan Energy Workforce Development Consortium’s innovative use of the Talent Pipeline Management framework is meeting the rapidly evolving talent needs of Michigan’s energy sector. Their employer driven model brings businesses, educators, labor partners, and workforce agencies together to build aligned career pathways—from high school through postsecondary training—that deliver timely, demand driven workforce solutions.
This partnership has delivered clear, measurable impact, including more than 1,950 completions in energy related programs, 770 Registered Apprenticeship hires, and career awareness activities reaching 35,000+ students. Their work has also influenced the creation of over 60 employer-led collaboratives and earned national recognition for its scalable, collaborative approach. Together, new standards for preparing the workforce for today’s energy jobs and the clean energy economy ahead have been set.
“This partnership shows what’s possible when employers, educators, and workforce leaders align around real business needs,” said Scott B. Sanders, President and CEO of NASWA. “Michigan is closing critical workforce gaps while building long-term talent pipelines. Just as important, engaging students in career awareness and scaling employer-led collaboratives across industries demonstrates how demand-driven strategies can strengthen an entire workforce system and position Michigan as a national model for energy and clean economy jobs.”
“We are honored to receive the prestigious Pinnacle Award for Business Development, highlighting the key partnerships and tremendous Michigan Energy Workforce Development Consortium success in supporting nearly 130,000 Michiganders who work in this critical industry,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “Since 2008, this partnership of utilities, labor unions, educators, and community organizations has been building the talent pipeline that keeps the lights on and drives the clean energy transition. This work helps us ensure every worker and business can find success in Michigan.”
For more information, visit NASWA’s Winter Policy Forum and Employment & Training Committee webpages.
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About the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (Michigan.gov/LEO): LEO aims to make Michigan a place where all people, businesses and communities have the economic means and personal freedoms to reach their full potential. LEO provides the connections, expertise and innovative solutions to drive continued business growth, build vibrant communities, create affordable housing, generate tourism and attract and retain key talent to fill Michigan’s vast pipeline of opportunities.
