Oakland County has secured $1.8 million in state training grants that will benefit 2,700 employees at 34 companies.

The money is from the state’s Going PRO Talent Fund, dedicated to advanced training for 1,776 current employees and 348 apprentices

The grant also supports 494 new hires and creates 100 new apprenticeships.

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said the smartest economic-development strategy is investing in people.

He said the grant money supports the growth of local companies and their capacity to innovate while giving thousands of workers the chance to gain new skills and advance their careers.

The Going PRO Talent Fund was created to support emerging workforce needs, including classroom instruction, on-the-job training and registered apprenticeships.

The Michigan Works! Association notes that 88 percent of the Going PRO awards went to employers with fewer than 500 employees and more than half went to businesses with less than 100 on staff across the state.

A $13,500 grant will be used by K-Tec Systems in Ferndale for advanced training in welding and soldering techniques and project management certification for some of its 11 employees.

Cathy Koch, K-Tec Systems CEO and President said the grant money helps smaller businesses remain competitive by enabling training and growth for employees.

“A skilled workforce helps us stay innovative, expand business and stay at the forefront of our industry,” she said.

Denise Van Hee, the county’s program administration and coordinates the business services, said her team works with employers to identify opportunities among their employees: pain points, strengths and weaknesses. They then develop a training plan to address their specialized needs.

“We make sure they understand the state’s scoring criteria for awarding funds and then complete a final review of the application before it is submitted,” she said.

The Going Pro Talent Fund, established in 2014, has so far invented $323 million in 9,000 businesses statewide.

Learn more at www.Michigan.gov/TalentFund.

Oakland County Michigan Works! has offices in Novi, Oak Park, Pontiac, Southfield, Troy, and Waterford. Michigan Works! helps more than 105,000 job seekers each year with career coaching, interview and job search support as well as job placement, training and providing job trend information.

Michigan Works! also assists about 3,000 employers in the county. Learn more by calling (248) 858-5520 or visiting OaklandCountyMIWorks.com.