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Michigan Economic Center releases report “Jobs, Michigan, and Leadership in the Economy of Tomorrow”

John Austin,

The world is experiencing a new industrial transformation. A new report by the Michigan Economic Center says the state is positioned to grow hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of new jobs. WGVU talks with the report’s lead author about how Michigan can be a leader in emerging sectors.

“We benefited and helped lead one economic transformation, the great industrial economy.”

John Austin is Director of the Michigan Economic Center and lead author of a new report, “Jobs, Michigan, and Leadership in the Economy of Tomorrow”

“We’re at a moment in the world where the world needs new solutions and is looking for new models and solve new problems to make people’s lives better.”

The report details global business opportunities amounting to over $18.5 trillion in mobility, water, food, energy, and IT technology related goods and services.

“When we’re doing the work of tomorrow, solving the world’s problems in energy, food, mobility, it sends a message particularly to young people that this is the place that’s solving the problems again, We’re the leader of the change, of the revolution that’s meeting the world’s needs for new solutions. That’s the work they want to do versus ‘We’re the rust belt. We’re protecting our legacy industries from change.’ So that’s why there’s powerful economic benefits for communities, as Grand Rapids has, and this is the greenest mid-sized community in the country. That’s a reputation and value signal. Come to Grand Rapids and participate in this work of tomorrow and that’s what all of Michigan can do.”

You can find the report online at http://www.miblueandgreeneconomy.org

And watch our interview with lead author, John Austin, Sunday morning at 10:00 on WGVU-TV’s “West Michigan Week.”

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.