New AI-powered ‘Opportunity Marketplace’ Helps West Michigan Jobseekers Find Careers Now

Grand Rapids, MI (March 5, 2025) — A new online platform launching today, MiCareerCompass, helps students and jobseekers explore career paths, find training and education, access support services, and land interviews for good-paying, in-demand jobs in West Michigan.

Developed by TalentFirst with grant funding from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO),  MiCareerCompass is a first-of-its-kind AI-powered marketplace created in partnership with West Michigan Works!, FutureFit AI, and a broad coalition of West Michigan employers, community partners and educational institutions.

Users start by creating a profile, either by uploading their resume or manually entering their experience. The platform’s AI-driven technology then analyzes their skills, recommends local career paths that match their strengths, and highlights any skills they may need to develop. It also connects them to local education and training programs, including financial assistance, that can help them gain the necessary qualifications. Many of the jobs require credentials or certificates that can be completed in as little as eight weeks.

Currently, MiCareerCompass features 28 roles in three primary career pathways:

• Clinical (e.g., healthcare and patient care roles)
• Administrative (e.g., office and support occupations)
• Operations (e.g., logistics, manufacturing, and skilled trades)

These pathways will continue to expand as new employer partners and industries join the initiative,

As an added benefit, participants who complete training will earn priority interview status with employer partners, including Amway, Corewell Health, Herbruck’s, Meijer, and Trinity Health.

“MiCareerCompass is an easy-to-use platform to highlight our good-paying jobs and rewarding careers at Amway,” said Brian Kraus, chief supply chain officer at Amway. “We’re proud to be a partner in this initiative that takes an end-to-end approach to the regional talent pipeline.”

Because the platform draws on real-time data, users can see which jobs in the region are in high demand, how much they pay, and what it takes to get hired.

“This is all about helping people connect with real career opportunities right here in West Michigan,” said Shana Washington, vice president for talent acquisition and workforce development programs at Trinity Health. “This is a regional opportunity marketplace that brings it all together — education, training, support and a roadmap to the good-paying jobs that our employers need to fill.”

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Once users create their profile, they can use the platform to request one-on-one career coaching, apply for assistance like housing or transportation, or learn how to sign up for tuition or training reimbursement. That transparency is important as people consider different career paths.

“It’s not enough to just say, ‘You need to go to college to get ahead,’” said Dr. John Selmon, president of Muskegon Community College, a partner in the project. “This is a powerful tool that shows students and jobseekers what it takes to start on a career pathway, and the many education and training programs that can quickly lead to a better job and career. When they know the ROI, they can make informed decisions about their futures.”

MiCareerCompass is fundamentally different from a job board because it’s not just about matching jobseekers with open positions, said Kevin Stotts, President of TalentFirst.

“It’s about building a bridge between their current skills and the careers they aspire to," Stotts said. "By bringing together employers, education and training organizations, and community partners, we’ve created an AI-powered platform that guides users step-by-step — from identifying skill gaps to accessing training and earning priority interviews. This collaborative approach ensures that West Michigan’s workforce is not only filling jobs but advancing in meaningful careers."

Current partners include: Amway, Corewell Health, Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, the Literacy Center of West Michigan, Meijer, Muskegon Community College, Paramelt, Trinity Health, the Urban League of West Michigan, West Michigan Works!, the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, and the Women’s Resource Center.

Additional partners and pathways will be added in subsequent phases of the initiative.

MiCareerCompass is free to use for any resident of Kent, Ottawa or Muskegon counties who is 18 or older and legally authorized to work in the United States.