Michigan Works

Working for You: Michigan Works! at Oakland University

This video will go over the following four items:

• What is Michigan Works?
• Who Qualifies for Funding?
• Students Role: You Registered for Mi-Works, Now What? and
• Academic Advisers Role

What is Michigan Works? Michigan Works is a government-funded agency where Michigan employers can connect with skilled job seekers and learn about training opportunities to enhance their workers’ skill sets and education. The Michigan Works Association assists Michigan residents, especially adult learners and those that have been laid off in the recession, in gaining the necessary education to meet the demands of the economy. They also offer financial support to students in higher education entering careers that are in high demand in Michigan (for example, health sciences, engineering, and business).

Who Qualifies for Funding? Michigan Works funding is based on the following factors:

• Income bracket and proof of income
• Living arrangement (for example, with parents, a spouse, or alone)
• The TABE test for literacy and mathematics
• In the last two years of higher education program preferred (four semesters to complete)
• Full-time or part-time status
• Can also be for those who need retraining or are displaced workers

If you would like to find out more information about receiving funding through Michigan Works!, please visit michiganworks.org and contact a service center near you.

You Registered with Michigan Works!, Now What? After registering with Michigan Works!, please complete the Oakland University online application. Next, explore the training opportunities for Oakland University at mitalent.org/mitc. Once you choose a training opportunity, request assistance from a Michigan Works! case worker and acquire the training account forms needed to receive funding. The student is responsible for writing their case worker’s name and email or fax number on each of the forms and bringing the forms to their academic advising appointment. During this appointment, the Academic Adviser will complete and sign a portion of the paperwork. The filled in and signed forms will then be scanned and emailed to Student Financial Services. The remaining portions of the forms will be completed and signed by Student Financial Services and all completed forms will then be emailed or faxed to the Michigan Works! case worker. These forms are then processed by the Michigan Works! Association and if approved for funding, Student Business Services will be sent the proper paperwork to bill them accordingly.

THIS COMPLETES THE GENERAL PORTION OF THIS PRESENTATION. IF YOU ARE AN ACADEMIC ADVISER, PLEASE CONTINUE TO THE NEXT SLIDES FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION.

For Academic Adviser’s Use: To best assist students trying to receive funding through Michigan Works!, it is key for an Academic Adviser to know the following:

1. Forms may differ from one county to another (Oakland County and Macomb/St. Clair County examples will be given in this presentation)
2. All procedures and highlighted forms can be found on the PAC-shared drive, under the Michigan Works! folder
3. A new form will be filled out for each semester to update Michigan Works! on a student’s academic progress and to ensure they are still eligible for funding
4. Please contact Student Financial Services with any questions, concerns regarding the training forms

For the next two slides, please note that all procedures and highlighted forms are available for reference in the PAC-share drive. The Academic Adviser’s role is highlighted in blue, the student’s role is highlighted in green, and the Student Financial Services role is highlighted in orange.

Academic Adviser’s Responsibility: Oakland County Forms: Complete all blue highlighted portions, including the course name, number, credit hours, and billing/contact hours on the Trade Adjustment Assistance: Program Planning Worksheet form. This form should be completed during the scheduled appointment time. You will fill out the form, beginning with the semester they will receive funding in, and fill in a table for each semester the student has left before completing their degree or certificate. Located in the top left corner, the total billing/contact hours and total credit hours is based on how many credits a student needs to obtain their degree or certificate.

To calculate contact hours, multiply the number of credits by sixteen. For example, a four-credit class has sixty-four contact hours.

Please ensure you and the student sign the upper right-hand corner, even though there is not a physical line for it. Once this form is completed and signed, scan the form and email them to Student Financial Services (finservices@oakland.edu) and cc the student.

Academic Adviser’s Responsibility: Macomb/St. Clair County Forms: Complete and sign the blue highlighted portions of the Individual Program Plan and fill in the course name/number, credit hours, and contact hours on the Individual Training Account Authorization form.

To calculate contact hours, multiply the number of credits by sixteen. For example, a four-credit class has sixty-four contact hours.

For the Individual Program Plan, begin with the semester they would begin receiving funding and end with their final semester before obtaining their degree or certificate. This specific form should be completed and signed during the scheduled appointment time. Before sending the forms forward, please ensure the student signed all three forms. Once these forms are completed, scan the three forms, email them to finservices@oakland.edu and cc the student. Please note that after their first semester receiving funding, the student will only need to fill out the Individual Training Account Authorization form for every following semester.

Thank you for playing an integral role in assisting our students in receiving funding from MI-Works!

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding Michigan Works!, please contact Pamela Daniels in Student Financial Services at pddaniel@oakland.edu.