A MidMichigan community is adding to its workforce and reducing unemployment.
Midland County leaders say that's thanks to investment and improving the quality of life.
Midland County has been the biggest success story among other MidMichigan counties for reducing its unemployment rate.
It's ranked number six in Michigan's 83 counties according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget.
Midland County reduced its unemployment by nearly 2% from last year to this year, from 7.7% to 9.6%. That beat the national unemployment rate of 9% by more than a percentage point according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
"In general, Midland is a hot spot for specialty chemicals, and the specialty chemical market is growing nationally and internationally," says Scott Walker, CEO of Midland Tomorrow.
It helps to have the world's second largest chemical company headquartered in the county.
Dow Chemical is expanding with its Dow Kokam plant and its Powerhouse Solar Shingle plant.
In June, it opens its Business Process Services Center, which is hiring 1,200 local employees.
"When companies had in the past out-sourced and off-shored, but really they're bringing that capacity back into this region," says Walker.
Dow Chemical spokesperson Greg Baldwin says, "At Dow, we are committed to continued investment in the region. Over the next several years, Dow will continue to build our workforce here by creating nearly 3,000 direct jobs through projects such as the Dow POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle facility, the Dow Kokam electric and hybrid car battery plant and our Business Process Service Center in partnership with Tata Consultancy Services. And, we will create thousands more construction jobs as a part of each one of these projects."
Baldwin goes on to say, "It's not just about the number jobs we're creating. It's also about the kind of jobs we're creating: well-paying advanced manufacturing jobs in industries like advanced batteries and solar technologies - the industries of the future, and industries that will help distinguish the Great Lakes Bay Region as a green tech hub."
Officials say it's job-growth in many sectors, not just one and that what's good for big companies is also good for smaller companies.
Walker says Midland Tomorrow is striving to improve even more. "We want to see a compound annual growth rate of our workforce of 3% every year."
Leaders also say the educational element is critical. They say Delta College's ability to train and retrain workers for the growing specialty chemicals market.
