Portage is located in Southwestern Michigan and creates the lower point in a trangle formed with Grand Rapids and Lansing. The center of Portage is about 54 miles from the first city and approximately 78 miles from the second in this triangle. However, Portage is about 7 miles from Kalamazoo, with additional jobs; and 23 miles from Battle Creek and the major employer, Kellogg.

For workers that are able to commute from Portage to the two larger cities, sometimes living within the triangle's middle area or along one side, the distance is not prohibitive to employment. It is similar to that between Cincinnati and Dayton in the Ohio Space Corridor, which is developing increasing numbers of jobs and adding new businesses and expansions. In fact, Dayton, a previously very depressed market, has begin expanding to meet Cincinnati expansion is creating a Metroplex Area.

PORTAGE - "A Place for Opportunities to Grow"

Portage is part of the larger Kalamazoo-Portage employment market, with an unemployment rate of 9.9% or 16,000 people in Feb. 2009. The population in 2008 of Kalamazoo County, in which Portage sits, is reportedly 146,000. Portage produced the largest economic base in the County of Kalamazoo, with $209 Billion taxable base in 2008, reported by the county government in its Feb '09 brochure. Over half of the tax base if residential, with industrial and commercial sectors dividing the remainder nearly equally.

The county points to these Portage featrures as the largest successes:

• South Westnedge Avenue Commercial Corridor ("100s of businesses")
• Sprinkle Road Industrial Corridor
• A primary WIA/MichiganWorks! Employment Center

New Businesses opening in 1st QTR 2009

• Huntington Bank - 416 West Centre Avenue. Feb 09.
• Becker Insurance - 420 West Centre Avenue. Feb 09.
• Ameriprise Financial Services; Knowlton, Johnson & Kehoe - 721 West Centre Avenue. Feb 09.
• First National Bank - 2700 West Centre Avenue. Jan 09.

While several other businesses expanded, the largest number of newemployees provided jobs in any new/expanding company 2008 - 1st QTR 2009 was not over 53 (at the Main Street Pub).

Economic Development Plans are avaiable on the site: Southwestern Michigan First. In addition to expanding life sciences related businesses, the site promotes what they call Community Capitalism (see material to the right above).

• Western Michigan University
• Borgess Medical Center
• Pfizer - pharmaceuticals.
• Bronson Methodist Hospital
• Stryker Medical Technology - Surgical and hospital equipment.

The time period 2009 - 2016 offers 8 years of potential boosted growth in business and jobs under the funds allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Employment & Training, Job Placement, and related services under the JTPA (Job Training Partnership Act) passed to the WIA (Workforce Investment Act) around 2000. The WIA funds MichiganWorks! offices across the state, along with the program entitled No Worker Left Behind.

Under WIA, unemployed and underemployed job seekers can receive effective assessment, followed by core and, if needed, advanced services. Job seekers can learn what is involved at each step by reading the web site called MichiganWorks!, Kalamazoo.

While in Ohio, training funds often run out in the spring, the ARRA provides large amonts of money to keep that facet of the system operating in the function of providing education and training to more people that need it. This is important, because some job seekers need further training in order to accept new employment that is available.

The industries in the Portage area that are forecasted for highest growth include

1. Health Care & Social Assistance
2. Administrative, Support & Waste/Recycling (largely govt)
3. Administrative & Support Services – private sector
4. Ambulatory Health Care
5. Employment Services
6. Accommodations, Food Services – non-restaraunt
7. Dining Places & Taverns
8. Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services
9. Educational Services
10. Hospitals

The forecasts above were prepared just before the enactment of the ARRA.

Categories in bold print are those in which jobs are listed on INDEED in and around Portage. One-half of these jobs are actually found in job search engine. Check daily for changes in listings.

1. Office Workers & Administrative Support - All industries
2. Sales - Retail and Wholesale
3. Food & Beverage Preparation and Service
4. Production/Mfg - at Stryker, Kellogg.
5. Transportation Services
6. Material Moving (by hand)
7. Healthcare Practitioners
8. Health-related Techs
9. Education and Training Services
10. Management Occupations – Many industries, including Healthcare and Food & Beverage. 

The following institutions are located in either Portage or nearby Kalamazoo and are designated training providers for Michigan Employment and Training (E&T) services. In other words, they are approved to receive funds and provide training under WIA.

• Everest Institute-Kalamazoo
• Kalamazoo College
• Kalamazoo Valley Community College
• West Michigan College of Barbering and Beauty
• Western Michigan University (link located above)
• Wright Beauty Academy