Recently, I had the honor of being appointed to the new state of Michigan Talent Investment Board created by Gov. Rick Snyder. The board will work to reshape the way Michiganders look for work and redesign the way employers obtain the skills they need.

The Talent Investment Board is only one part of the governor’s plans for getting Michigan back to work.

Another very relevant part is Pure Michigan Talent Connect, a Web-based talent marketplace found at www.mitalent.org. At the new website, users can assess their skills, evaluate the return on investment for an education or training program, browse careers and connect with mentors.

Both these and other actions that are part of the governor’s plans are indeed concrete steps to help employers who are struggling to fill jobs because there is an imbalance between the skills people have and the jobs available; and the potential employees who want to fill those positions.

In order to put Michigan back to work, it is crucial that we take steps to develop talent to match job demand.

Reinventing our economy means we must take bold steps to help our current and next generations of workers develop their talents, attract new people to our state and match employers with the many talented workers already living here.

As we remain focused on improving our economy and putting people back to work, I remain committed to helping residents and employers thrive.

I look forward to hearing your comments on these important issues. Please feel free to contact me by calling (888) 373-0078 or emailing sharontyler@house.mi.gov.