Let’s face it — HR is filled with repetitive tasks that drain your time and energy. Résumé reviews, handbook questions, data entry, onboarding checklists… the list goes on. What if you could automate those instantly and get back to what matters most?
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May marks Professional Trades Month in Michigan, a timely reminder of the critical role skilled tradespeople play in our economy. From electricians and welders to HVAC technicians and construction managers, these professionals keep the state running smoothly. Michigan projects more than 518,000 skilled trades jobs by 2032, with about 40,600 annual openings. The demand for trained workers continues to rise.
This month is not only about recognizing these contributions but also encouraging Michiganders to explore these high-paying, secure career paths. Thanks to initiatives like Michigan Reconnect, adults across the state can now access tuition-free programs to get trained in these essential fields.
The Most In-Demand Trades for 2025
Labor market trends show that skilled trades careers are not only stable but also lucrative. Here are the top trades in demand across Michigan and the United States:
Electricians
Electricians are essential as Michigan upgrades its power grid and expands renewable energy. Demand is rising due to electric vehicles, smart homes, and infrastructure modernization. Salaries often range from $60,000 to $90,000, with experienced professionals earning more.
HVAC Technicians
Heating and cooling systems are evolving. Technicians are needed to install and maintain advanced and energy-efficient units. Salaries typically fall between $50,000 and $75,000, and specialists in green technology can earn even more.
Plumbers and Pipefitters
As infrastructure ages and construction booms, these trades remain vital. Skilled plumbers and pipefitters can earn $55,000 to $85,000, with top professionals making closer to $95,000.
Welders
Welders play a role in almost every sector, from construction to aerospace. Salaries generally range from $50,000 to $70,000, with opportunities for higher pay in specialized areas.
Construction Managers
These professionals are key to keeping projects on track. Salaries start around $70,000 and can climb to $115,000 or more, especially on larger or more complex projects.
Heavy Equipment Operators
As Michigan invests in infrastructure, operators of machinery like bulldozers and cranes are needed. These workers earn between $55,000 and $80,000, with top earners approaching $100,000.
Solar Installers
Clean energy is reshaping the trades landscape. Solar panel installers earn about $69,000 on average, and demand is growing quickly.
Michigan Reconnect: Your Path to a Skilled Trade
For adults 25 and older without a college degree, Michigan Reconnect offers an incredible opportunity to access free tuition for associate degrees and skills certificates. Training is available in many of the high-demand fields listed above.
Programs in areas like Electrical Technology, HVAC Systems, Plumbing, Welding, and Construction Management prepare students for stable, high-paying roles in Michigan’s economy.
By lowering financial barriers, Michigan Reconnect helps individuals pursue new careers and fill critical workforce gaps across the state.
A Future Built on Trades
The skilled trades offer more than a paycheck. They provide career growth, stability, and the satisfaction of building and maintaining the foundations of everyday life. As technology continues to evolve, many of these careers are becoming even more advanced, incorporating digital tools and sustainable practices.
Whether you are a recent graduate or an adult ready for a career change, the skilled trades offer a promising path forward. Professional Trades Month is the perfect time to consider the possibilities.
Visit Michigan Reconnect to learn how you can get started and Michigan Talent Connect to find immediate job openings.
Celebrate Professional Trades Month by taking action. The future of Michigan’s economy depends on skilled hands and determined minds.
As immigration enforcement intensifies nationwide, Michigan employers are facing a major compliance reckoning in 2025—especially those who rely on contingent labor. But here’s the good news: if you’re partnered with a staffing agency like WSI, you’re already ahead of the game.
At WSI, we’ve been fully E-Verify compliant for over a decade. That means our clients—across manufacturing, light industrial, logistics, and more—have long been protected from the risks associated with hiring ineligible workers. But for those who haven’t taken E-Verify seriously, the stakes just got much higher.
Recent headlines have sent shockwaves through the business community:
ICE and IRS Are Now Sharing Data: As of April 2025, a federal agreement allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement to access IRS records to locate undocumented workers directly at their workplaces.
Michigan House Bill 4061: New legislation requires all public employers—and any contractors they hire—to use E-Verify. The bill proposes stiff fines (up to $1,000 per violation) and contract bans for those who don’t comply.
Zero Tolerance Enforcement: Across the U.S., ICE is using AI, facial recognition, and cross-agency data to target employers who fail to vet their workforce properly.
These changes mark a shift from occasional audits to full-scale enforcement campaigns—with staffing agencies, manufacturers, and labor-intensive businesses squarely in the crosshairs.
If your business hires directly or works with a staffing partner that doesn’t use E-Verify, you’re exposed:
Three-Day Audits: ICE can show up with just 72 hours’ notice, and if your records aren’t airtight, even minor clerical errors can escalate.
Digital Forensics: Regulators are looking for time-stamped documentation and complete onboarding trails. Paper forms and “good faith efforts” are no longer enough.
Brand Risk: Public ICE actions can damage your reputation with customers, investors, and potential hires—especially if your name is tied to illegal employment practices.
At WSI, we saw this coming. For years, we’ve built our compliance infrastructure around the following principles:
100% E-Verify Use Across All Markets
Fully Digital I-9 Recordkeeping with audit trails, error checks, and expiration alerts
Rigorous Staff Training on employment verification best practices
Proactive Risk Management to ensure you’re protected before regulators ever come knocking
Our approach not only shields your business from legal exposure—it helps ensure a reliable, qualified workforce every time you hire.
If you’re working with WSI, you’re covered. If you’re hiring elsewhere—or doing it yourself—it’s time to re-evaluate your process. The risks in 2025 aren’t theoretical anymore. They’re here, they’re digital, and they’re escalating.
Let’s talk. We’ll show you exactly how our compliance-first approach can keep your workforce strong, legal, and audit-ready—no matter how the law evolves.
Retirement today no longer means a sudden exit at age 65 with nothing on the calendar except golf. Many Gen Xers and younger Boomers view a hard stop as financially unwise and personally unfulfilling. Phased retirement offers an alternative path: a gradual reduction in work hours that combines continued earnings, ongoing benefits and meaningful engagement. This model provides a gentler transition for employees and helps employers retain critical skills.
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We’re thrilled to share that WSI has been recognized once again as one of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For – both in West Michigan and nationwide – for the 10th year in a row.
This recognition isn’t just about longevity. It’s about consistency, leadership, and the meaningful ways we invest in our people and our culture. Each year, the Best and Brightest program identifies organizations that go above and beyond in their employment practices, employee engagement, and commitment to community.
To be considered, companies are evaluated on key factors like:
Leadership, Strategy & Performance
Community Initiatives & Corporate Responsibility
Recruitment & Talent Development
Work-Life Blend & Employee Well-Being
This year, WSI achieved a 95% response rate on the employee engagement survey—a clear sign that our people are not just present, but actively invested in shaping who we are.
But what truly sets this recognition apart is its depth. The evaluation includes detailed benchmarking, comparative reports, and insight-sharing opportunities that allow companies to keep learning and growing. For us, it’s a validation of everything we believe in: strong teams, shared values, and meaningful work.
At WSI, our mission has always been to connect great people with great companies. This award reminds us that how we do that – through trust, care, and excellence – matters just as much as the results.
Here’s to 10 years of recognition, and many more of impact.
Last week, WSI had an exciting opportunity to share our involvement in the ever-evolving AI landscape with Kirk Mason, the morning anchor at WWMT Newschannel 3. As AI continues to shape industries and redefine workflows, we were thrilled to showcase how WSI is not only embracing this technology but also actively dispelling common misconceptions about its impact on jobs.
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Paychecks matter, but true employee appreciation goes beyond money. This Employee Appreciation Day, show your team they’re valued every day.
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At Workforce Strategies Inc. (WSI), we believe that a workplace thrives when its people do. We are honored to be recognized in the Wall Street Journal on February 19, 2025, as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation.
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All right, let’s address the elephant in the room: using AI to write resumes is so 2024. Don’t get me wrong—2024 was a fine year. But now that we’re all about fifteen tech leaps past that moment in history, it’s time to leave those AI-generated resumes where they belong: in a digital dustbin next to your old Candy Crush invites. Let’s talk about what’s next, shall we?
The AI Resume: Yesterday’s News
Sure, ChatGPT can churn out something passable that sounds like it was written by a particularly polite robot. But that’s precisely the problem—recruiters are way too savvy. They know generic filler phrases when they see them. And if your resume’s pitch-perfect paragraphs don’t match your actual personality or your actual LinkedIn (yes, they will check), you’re asking for some major side-eye.
Think about it this way: if you’re in a job interview and all your answers sound suspiciously identical to your pre-fab bullet points, the jig is up. That’s like telling your best friend you’re allergic to cats while hugging Mr. Whiskers. It’s not a great look.
What’s Cutting Edge Right Now? Personality
Why is that so important? Well, put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager. They’re seeing a surge in “just slightly too polished” resumes. Everyone’s using the same synonyms: “adept,” “passionate,” “results-driven.” (Side note: I once described myself as “unpassionate” in a cover letter by mistake. At least that was memorable.) Bottom line: personal quirks—and genuine achievements—matter more than ever.
Grammar & Tone Checks
Ask your AI overlord to nudge your writing style from “long-winded professor” to “concise professional.” It’s a neat little trick when you’re too close to your own text to spot the run-ons.
Keyword Hunting
AI can help you identify those magic words that make recruiters go, “Oh, this person knows our industry lingo.” Just don’t go overboard and jam them in 17 times. That’s called “keyword stuffing,” and it’s about as subtle as a neon fanny pack.
Social Profile Synergy
No more “Was that the same job?” moments. You can have AI comb through your LinkedIn (or whichever platform you deem worthy) and ensure your resume and your profile echo the same melody. Pro tip: Let them sound like you, not like a seventh-grade grammar textbook.
Now, let’s talk about the landmines:
Fabrication: If your bullet points suddenly include leadership of a “global strategic initiative,” but you mostly helped Randy in marketing set up a meeting or two, the truth will come out. Lying is bad. Hallucinations? Also bad.
Spamming Out 37 Resume Versions: Hiring managers no longer want to see an entirely new “custom” resume for each job; if it diverges too far from your LinkedIn, alarm bells go off. One resume to rule them all, folks.
Replacing All Creativity: AI can’t speak to your genuine passion, your jokes, or that slightly awkward but charming sense of humor. It’s the flourish on top of your cake, not the cake itself.
So… Is the Resume Itself Doomed?
In a word? Possibly. The most futuristic among us (I see you out there) are already pointing to a horizon filled with asynchronous video interviews, personal brand portfolios, and digital footprints that speak louder than any once-cherished PDF. Video resumes, for example, let companies see the real you—your personality, your quick wit, your passion that no AI can replicate. Word on the street is that recruiters are getting really into these. It’s a chance to show them who you are in three dimensions, rather than some bullet points thrown together by the ChatGPT gods.
Embracing the Next Frontier
Ultimately, if you’re reading this and thinking, “Am I behind because I’m still relying on AI to do all the talking for me?”—fear not. It’s never too late to evolve. Use AI as a handy tool, not an entire operating system. Infuse your own voice, create a single cohesive resume that lines up with what’s on your LinkedIn, and be ready to pivot into a future of creative ways to present yourself. Or, you know, keep using your chatbots and rolling the dice. I’m sure that’ll be fine.
But if you really want to stay ahead of the AI curve—and maybe even keep hiring managers awake during the screening process—start thinking beyond the resume. Because, in the words of absolutely no one famous: GPT-based resumes are so 2024, and we’ve all got bigger things to do with our future.
Have you ever wondered what AI could actually do for you in your day-to-day? We hear about AI all the time, but the real value lies in knowing how to use it to make work easier, faster, and even a bit more creative. If you’re ready to explore AI’s true potential, join us for our upcoming session “AI-Powered HR: The Future of Hiring, Retention & Workforce Management”
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