It is graduation season, and although Michigan’s economy is growing and creating jobs, many positions remain unfilled.

A key factor in our skilled jobs gap is a lack of focus on training and education in fields where positions exist.

As new graduates head out into the real world or prepare for college, we must consider the next step in helping our students land a well-earning job and providing them with available career information so they may choose their own path of success.

I have introduced Senate Bill 344 to allow a student to receive a science, technology, engineering and mathematics certification as an incentive for taking additional STEM courses. If the bill is enacted, Michigan would be the first state to allow such a STEM certification opportunity.

It is great that Michigan is a leader in allowing students to focus their education on these key fields. This certification is an excellent way to reward students who take extra STEM classes and highlight their accomplishments, while also giving them a competitive advantage in landing a well-paying job.

I also sponsored SB 343 to require school districts and public school academies to provide students with the most recent available analysis of in-demand occupations for the economic forecast region in which the school or public school academy is located.

Kinexus CEO Todd Gustafson said that by including exposure to in-demand occupations in the educational development plans and beginning the conversation at an early age, Michigan students will have a jump start in considering how they can use their high school education toward achieving a meaningful career.

According to the “Hot Jobs” outlook for southwest Michigan, the careers with the highest projected growth from 2014 to 2024 in the region are market research analysts and marketing specialists (27.1 percent growth), personal financial advisors (23.7 percent) and industrial machinery mechanics (23.2 percent).

This information can be a tremendous resource for those looking for work, people considering a career change and especially students contemplating a career path.

This is about ensuring that every Michigan high school student receives this information for their area and helping all our students make the best decisions they can about their education and their future.

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents southwest Michigan.