Stronger Together: Celebrating the Partners Powering Talent Together’s Mission
Working Together to Build Michigan's Educator Pipeline
At Talent Together, our mission to address Michigan’s educator shortage is powered by an incredible network of partners who share our vision. Together, we’re supporting more than 1,200 aspiring educators across 400 school districts with debt-free pathways to teaching — because we believe every community deserves high-quality educators, and every future teacher deserves an opportunity to succeed.
These partnerships make it possible to remove barriers, expand access to teacher preparation, and invest in the next generation of Michigan educators.
Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative (MEWI)
The Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative has been a cornerstone partner since our launch, providing strategic direction, technical assistance, and design expertise to ensure long-term sustainability.
Through MEWI’s guidance, we’ve been able to offer 100% tuition-free education, a paid year-long apprenticeship, fully online degree access statewide, and sustainable career advancement pathways. The impact is clear: 96% of our candidates say we’re effectively removing the top barriers to teacher certification.
Jack Elsey
Founder | MEWI
“The more we can make sure that starting a career in education is a financially viable career — from the moment training begins — the more likely we are to convince the workforce of the future to consider becoming a teacher.”
— Jack Elsey, Founder of the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative
School District Partners: Growing Talent from Within
Our school district partners are at the center of our work. They identify passionate individuals already serving in their schools — from paraprofessionals to long-term substitutes — and help them take the next step toward teacher certification.
Superintendent William Heath of Portland Public Schools, which currently has nine (9) Talent Together Teacher Candidates, shares this commitment:
“The Talent Together program has created a vital pipeline of passionate, local talent during a time when recruitment is increasingly challenging, particularly in specialized and hard-to-fill roles. By supporting individuals already connected to our district and community in becoming certified educators, we’ve been able to fill vacancies with candidates who not only understand our students’ needs and the culture of our schools but are also deeply committed to staying long term. It’s been a proactive and sustainable solution to persistent staffing shortages.”
William Heath
Superintendent | Portland Public Schools
This partnership model ensures that schools are staffed with educators who know their communities — and are committed to staying.
Higher Education Partners: Pathways to Certification
Through our partnerships with accredited universities and colleges, we connect aspiring educators with high-quality, affordable certification programs. These institutions share our commitment to equity and flexibility, offering online coursework that allows candidates to keep working in their school communities while earning their credentials.
Strong Partners for our Registered Apprenticeship Program
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity advises & coordinates registration of Talent Together’s Registered Apprenticeship Program with the United States Department of Labor.
We ensure that candidates can earn a wage while completing their teacher preparation. Our 300 Apprentice Teachers spend a full year of paid classroom experience in the grade level and subject area of their certification. This real-world preparation has proven its value with a 95% program completion rate.
Our work in this space has earned recognition, including two Race to Talent Apprenticeship Champion Awards from Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium and Macomb/St. Clair. Michigan Works! also helps braid state and federal workforce funding with Talent Together resources, expanding opportunities for more candidates.
Why These Partnerships Matter
Every partner plays a critical role in addressing Michigan’s educator shortage. Whether it’s providing strategic vision, opening doors in local districts, delivering high-quality coursework, or creating paid apprenticeship opportunities, these collaborations are shaping a stronger, more sustainable future for Michigan schools.