Consumers Energy plans to hire a total of about 300 people this year

JACKSON, MI – Consumers Energy plans to hire a total of about 300 people this year to build and replace gas pipelines as part of a planned $60 million investment throughout the state.
The Jackson-based utility is seeking applicants to fill 144 positions, and it initially filled 150 positions to perform pipeline work in Michigan this year.
Next year, the investment for gas pipeline work is expected to increase to $116 million.
“Our promise is to continue to work for safe communities, meeting our customers’ expectations that we deliver reliable gas service,” Michele Kirkland, vice president of energy operations, said in a statement. “These ongoing investments will improve our system’s reliability and help our communities grow by putting Michigan residents to work.”
The company is hiring construction laborers and equipment operators, according to the company's website. According to the job posting, the positions are full-time, seasonal and hourly waged jobs. These are union positions, with the employees being represented by the Utility Workers Union of America.
Consumers Energy will hold job fairs in Flint and Battle Creek on Saturday, Aug. 3. For more information about these positions, visit www.consumersenergy.com and click on the “Careers” tab.

Programmer/developer opening with Levelset Solutions

A typical day in the life of an LSS developer:

• Start off with a fresh cup of coffee from the office Keurig.
• Take a seat at your desk in our open, cubicle-free environment overlooking downtown Royal Oak.
• Boot up your laptop to either OSX or Windows (whichever you prefer), pull down the latest code from the Github repository, and start coding. 
• Usually you'll be dedicating ~80 percent of your day to a primary project that you're working on, while the other 20 percent can be filled with smaller requests or collaboration with teammates.
  

Does this schedule sound like a perfect fit for you? Learn more about the position, including how to apply, at Pure Michigan Talent Connect.

Full time account representative at GC Services

If you're looking for a stable company that provides benefits, paid vacation, personal paid time, 401K, growth opportunities and you have excellent negotiation skills, then this is the job for you.

GC Services is one of the nation’s largest teleservices companies, having been in business for more than 50 years, and with call centers across the United States.

Account representatives use telephone etiquette to call on past due accounts, make the best payment arrangements possible, while providing excellent customer service. This is an entry-level position and we offer paid training to help you with the transition into the company.

To view additional position requirements, and to find out how to apply, visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect.

Kroger set to invest $110M, hire 2,000 in Michigan

Michigan’s largest traditional grocer is getting even bigger.

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Co. will hire 2,000 workers for its 128 Michigan stores over the next 15 to 18 months, and will invest  about $110 million in the Great Lakes State this year, the company said. As part of that investment, Kroger will open stores in Commerce and Shelby townships.

The grocer announced the Michigan investment at its annual shareholder  meeting last week. Kroger has about 17,000 workers in the state.

“It is a strong statement that they are in Michigan to win,” said Phil Lempert, a grocery analyst and editor of supermarketguru.com.

Lempert said Kroger is succeeding in an increasingly tough grocery market in Michigan, with competition from Grand Rapids-based Meijer Inc., which is opening two new stores in the state this year; Wal-Mart, which recently opened another store in Novi; and Target, which is adding groceries to nine Metro Detroit locations. Kroger is also facing increased competition from drug stores such as CVS and Walgreens, which are adding more food to their offerings.

The Michigan investment  comes as the grocer continues to grow. In 2012, Kroger posted a 7.1 percent sales increase, according to Chairman and CEO David B. Dillon, marking 38 consecutive quarters of positive sales growth.

Lempert expects that growth to continue, and said Kroger is poised to succeed because of a strong retail strategy and ability to cater to what customers want in their local store. Its Novi store, for example, carries a large selection of Japanese food products, catering to the area’s expanding Japanese population.

Last year in Michigan, Kroger upgraded and remodeled 21 of its 128 existing locations, said Dale Hollandsworth, a company spokesman. Kroger has made a point to partner with the state's tourism ad agency, Pure Michigan, to offer Michigan-made goods. In the past five years, Kroger has invested $380 million in Michigan in capital improvements.

Kroger will open an 88,000-square-foot store at the corner of Commerce Road and Union Lake in November, and a 114,000-square-foot store at the corner of 23 Mile and Hayes Road will open in January, the grocer said. Both new stores are near existing Kroger stores.

Nationally, Kroger plans to build, expand or relocate 45 to 50 supermarkets in 2013, compared to 44 in 2012.

Employment opportunities with the Kroger Co. of Michigan are posted on www.kroger.com .

Wal-Mart hiring 80 employees for expanded Troy Michigan store

 

Wal-Mart will hire 80 full and part-time workers for its newly expanded Troy location that’s set to re-open this fall. 

The superstore, located at 2001 W. Maple, will accept applications on-sight from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Interested applicants may also apply online at http://careers.walmart.com. 

“We are excited to expand the Wal-Mart in Troy and bring good jobs with great career opportunities to the area,” store manager Nicole Chase said in a statement.

 Wal-Mart provides a benefits program to eligible full and part-time employees, according to the company. 

Most of the 80 new hires will begin work this summer as the store prepares for its re-opening.

 

Michigan State Police looking for new recruits

Metropolitan Detroit, MICH.  The Michigan State Police (MSP) is looking for another 70 new recruits to begin recruit school January of 2014; the first of two anticipated recruit schools to be held in 2014.

The Michigan State Police has partnered with Wayne County Community College District (WCCCD) to host a series of recruiting seminars.  The community events will be held on Saturday, July 13th, and July 20th at the WCCCD Downtown campus, 1001 West Fort Street, Detroit, MI, 48226 in the multi-purpose room.  The events will begin promptly at 9 a.m. and will last until 12:00 noon.
The event will acquaint interested candidates with the career opportunities available with the Michigan State Police and will feature many of the department's specialty units, such as the Emergency Support Team (similar to SWAT), Underwater Recovery Unit, Canine Unit, Bomb Squad, Aviation Unit and Forensic Science Division.

The minimum requirements for consideration of employment are as follows: an applicant must be of good moral character; a United States citizen; a Michigan resident at the time of appointment to the academy; at least 21 years of age; possess a high school diploma or G.E.D.; have a good driving record; possess a stable credit history; and no felony convictions. 
Starting salary at the beginning of the 21-week recruit school is $44,000 annually with a $7,800 raise upon the completion of one year to nearly $52,000 annually.  

To attend one of the recruiting seminars, please arrive by 8:45am with picture identification.  The dress attire is business casual. 

For more information about a career with the Michigan State Police, visit www.michigan.gov/mspjobs