Newsletter 
September 2022
Upcoming Meetings
Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, October 6
3:30 p.m. CT
Bay West Room 115
Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, October 20
8:00 a.m. CT
Bay West Room 115
Alliance Fall Update
Thank you to those who attended our Fall Update meeting on September 15. Leaders from the various Alliance Task Force groups provided reports of their actions and focus areas so far in 2022. If you missed the meeting, you can view a summary of the meeting’s content here.
National Manufacturing Day - October 7
The Alliance joins Bay College West, the Dickinson-Iron ISD Tech Center, Michigan Works, and local manufacturers in marking Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 7. The event brings together ninth-grade students from area schools to interact with local manufacturers to learn about careers in the professional trades.

After two years of virtual Manufacturing Day activities, we are thrilled to be hosting this event in person. About 300 students from Kingsford, Iron Mountain, North Dickinson, Niagara, and Norway will have the opportunity to explore skill sets that are in demand by area employers by engaging in a series of hands-on activities. 
Introducing SHIFT - Professional Trades Careers
Manufacturing Day is the first event under The Alliance’s new SHIFT Professional Trades Careers initiative. The SHIFT program's purpose is to raise awareness of career paths in the professional trades that are available to individuals upon graduation from high school.

The goal of SHIFT is to not only raise awareness of the outstanding opportunities at area employers but also to help students understand that they can have a successful career without attending a four-year university. Professional trades careers play a crucial role in the health of our local economy. The program aims to shift perspectives about what a successful career looks like after high school graduation.
Business Roundtable - October 26
The Alliance Small Business Retention & Growth Task Force is pleased to host a Business Roundtable event on Wednesday, October 26, at noon at Bay West in Room #231. Many will remember these events held prior to the pandemic, and the hope is to re-engage the business community to learn more about their challenges and opportunities and ways that The Alliance can support their efforts for growth and success.

The program will include a presentation by Nicole Potvin, regional consultant for the Michigan Small Business Development Center, along with time for dialog on any topics of interest to the business community. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP in advance to info@daeda.org and note any special dietary requests.

Questions? Please contact Lois Ellis.
New Publication Launched
UPword Michigan is a digital news magazine focused on the dynamic communities, businesses, and residents of the Upper Peninsula. The Alliance and other partners across the region are supporting the new publication and contributing content. The digital magazine will feature what's next in entrepreneurship, creative culture, and development in and around the U.P., and are part of the Issue Media Group (IMG) family of publications. Stories are published weekly, designed for a U.P. audience, and promoted through Issue Media Group’s statewide Second Wave and national media networks. Visit www.upwordmichigan.com to read great articles highlighting Mountain Media House and the team they have assembled to offer media services in the region, as well as an article about the U.P. Honor Flight-Ride of Honor that included riders from Dickinson County.
Return North: Virtual & In-Person Options
Return North is an annual professional career fair that matches job seekers with the right employers located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Through the Return North event, candidates and local companies have an opportunity to meet in an organic, mutually beneficial environment and communicate freely with each other. Both virtual and in-person events are being held in November.

Details and information on how employers can get involved can be found at return-north.com/.
FREE Online Workshops Offered
Through a partnership with the consulting team at the Michigan Small Business Development Center in the Upper Peninsula, The Alliance and the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce host workshops on topics of interest to business owners and those interested in starting a new business. Look for the following sessions on the first Wednesday of each month through the remainder of the year. If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see covered in a future workshop, please reach out to Lois Ellis.

You can also check out the On-Demand Library where you will find many valuable presentations on timely business topics. You will be asked to create an account to attend workshops or view the Library of resources. 
Fall Events
Check out these community events to enjoy & celebrate the fall season
Oktoberfest
October 1 from 12 noon until 11 pm in downtown Iron Mountain
Leif Erickson Festival
October 8-9 in Norway
Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance
906-360-4653 | info@daeda.org | www.daeda.org