Etue and Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works receive Impact Award
Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! and Melissa Etue, a resident of Macomb County, were among those honored at the recent Michigan Works! Association Impact Awards.
Etue had been working in the makeup industry for 20 years when she decided to pursue opportunities in a different industry, due to conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent layoff.
Thanks to a partnership with Michigan Works, Etue was able to accept a position with Achatz Pies as a district manager for their retail operations and received 480 hours of on-the-job training with funds provided by COVID-19 Recovery Project Funds.
“I am grateful that Achatz Pies took a chance on me because together we are innovating and building a stronger business, and I am becoming a great baker in the process,” said Etue, in a news
release. “I am not developing a new training program for the next group hiring into the company. I am taking my experience, and making it teachable for an overall stronger, and an even more passionate team driven by skills and knowledge.”
In partnership with Michigan Works!, Achatz Pies decided to hire Etue into the
leadership role for their retail operations. They saw her passion for service and willingness to learn something new. She received 480 hours of on-the-job training as a District Manager for Achatz Pies with training funds provided by COVID-19 Recovery Project Funds.
“The USDOL awarded funds to the State of Michigan
in May 2020 to provide disaster relief employment and included additional dislocated worker funding to accommodate the expected rise in unemployment during the pandemic,” said executive director of Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! Justin Al-Igoe, in the news release. “Our nominee is an example of the thousands of local workers who lost their job due to the impact of the pandemic. With the support of this employment and training assistance, our nominee became reemployed in a new industry in a high-demand occupation.”
The Impact Awards hosted by Michigan Works! Association, recognize the economic development success being achieved in communities across Michigan. Award winners included employers, workers, Michigan Works! organizations, and partners.