On Nov. 22, The Right Place, Inc. and Hello West Michigan will partner to attract talent back to West Michigan. The two organizations, regional partners, and several local businesses will host the sixth annual ReThink West Michigan event, an evening gathering to attract former West Michiganders back to the region. The Thanksgiving Eve tradition has expanded for 2017 to a multilocation event.
With support from Pure Michigan Talent Connect and in collaboration with the West Michigan Economic Development Collaborative, the event is from 5:30 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, at five West Michigan venues:
- Eve at The B.O.B., 20 Monroe Ave. NW
- Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro, 105 E. State St., Hastings
- The Stearns Hotel, 212 E. Ludington Ave., Ludington
- The Block, above Unruly Brewing, 360 Western Ave., Muskegon
- Brew Merchant, 442 Washington Ave., Holland.
On a day when many former West Michigan students and professionals are back in the area for the Thanksgiving holiday, 31 area companies and several nonprofit organizations are coming together to convince them that it is time to “rethink” West Michigan.
Designed not as a traditional career fair, ReThink West Michigan provides a casual, professional environment to network and discover many of the great career possibilities and growing companies in the region.
“This event is truly unique because it is solely for former West Michigan residents that have moved away. We’re highlighting the things people want to know about when they think about relocating: career opportunities and lifestyle in West Michigan,” said Cindy Brown, Executive Director of Hello West Michigan.
“Through collaboration, we’re able to bring the ReThink event to Barry County,” said Travis Alden, President of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Alliance, a member of the group collaborating to make the expansion of ReThink West Michigan possible. “We’re able to showcase regional employers that have openings all over West Michigan like Spectrum Health, as well as local employers headquartered in Barry County like Hastings City Bank and FlexFab.”
The event is free to attend, only requiring interested attendees to register online at: www.rethinkwm.com. The last four annual events attracted over 550 professionals in total, resulting in over 53 hires.
“West Michigan companies are growing at an unprecedented rate,” said Tim Mroz, vice president, Marketing and Communications of The Right Place, Inc. “But their growth is limited by access to talent. We have hundreds of positions available, with a specific need in the areas of engineering and technology, and we would love to see former Michiganders come home to these jobs.”
