September 15, 2026
More than 200 employers, workforce professionals, economic development leaders, child care advocates, and policymakers participated in The Michigan Employer Roadmap to Child Care Solutions, a four-part webinar series designed to help Michigan businesses better understand child care as a workforce strategy.
Now, the entire series is available on demand through Pulse at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, giving organizations free access to expert insights, practical tools, and real-world examples for addressing one of the most significant barriers facing working families and employers.
“Child care is not just a family issue; it's a workforce issue and an economic issue,” said Maria Ortiz Borden, co-executive director of Pulse. “We designed this series to move beyond awareness and help employers understand the practical actions they can take to support working families while strengthening recruitment, retention, and employee well-being.”
The webinar series explored:
• Why child care is a workforce strategy
• Employer policies and benefits that support working families
• Financing approaches and public-private partnerships
• Building strong regional child care ecosystems
The series featured more than 20 speakers representing national, state, and local organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Bipartisan Policy Center, Niskanen Center, Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), Bronson Healthcare, Frontier, Duncan Aviation, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, and the Small Business Association of Michigan.
Participant feedback demonstrated strong engagement and impact:
• 100 percent of survey respondents reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their webinar experience.
• Participants rated the relevance of the content an average of 4.48 out of 5.
• Eighty-nine percent said they were likely or extremely likely to apply what they learned.
Attendees also reported gaining a better understanding of how child care affects workforce participation, practical steps employers can take to support employees, and the importance of collaboration among businesses, communities, and policymakers.
“Supporting working families and strengthening Michigan’s workforce requires innovative partnerships and practical solutions,” said Synthia Britton, MiLEAP interim deputy director overseeing the Office of Early Education. “When employers make the connection between child care and workforce participation, they are better positioned to recruit and retain talent, support their employees, and contribute to stronger local economies.”
The series also generated significant interest in additional resources, including employer case studies, local data, tax incentives, financing strategies, and advocacy tools—evidence that participants were eager to move from learning to action.
“There is no single solution to Michigan’s child care challenges,” said Kathy Szenda Wilson, co-executive director of Pulse. “What this series demonstrated is that employers have multiple entry points to become part of the solution. Whether through benefits, partnerships, advocacy, or investment, businesses can play an important role in building stronger child care systems and a stronger workforce.”
The webinar recordings are available free of charge and are designed for employers, human resource professionals, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, workforce development leaders, policymakers, and community partners.
To access the webinar series, visit www.pulseroadmap.org