Michigan's $2.4B Jobs Program Creates 1,846 Jobs in Year One

Michigan just proved that patience with big investments can pay off for working families.

The state's Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund, known as SOAR, created 1,846 new jobs in 2024 across 10 companies. These aren't just any jobs. They're positions averaging $55,000 to $75,000 per year in communities hungry for economic growth.

The program launched in 2022 with bipartisan support, offering $2.4 billion in incentives to attract major employers to Michigan. Critics questioned whether taxpayer money would deliver real results. Now the first concrete numbers are in, and people are going to work.

Solar Technology LLC became the program's breakout success story. The Corning subsidiary built a massive 1 million square foot factory in Saginaw County's Richland Township to manufacture solar energy components.

The company promised 1,151 jobs in exchange for $68 million in SOAR funding. Instead, they've already hired 1,244 workers at an average salary of $55,223. That's 100 more jobs than required, delivered ahead of schedule.

"It's been a great asset to the community," Township Manager Rob Grose told reporters. After three years of construction, residents are finally seeing their neighbors land solid paychecks.

Ford Motor Company is also making progress at its BlueOval battery factory in Marshall. The plant hired 146 workers last year, with positions ranging from security guards to manufacturing engineers averaging $75,000 annually. The 500 acre facility opens this year and continues recruiting.

Dow Inc. preserved 5,028 jobs in the Midland area, keeping its commitment to maintain at least 5,000 positions through 2032. Combined with new hires, SOAR supported 6,874 total jobs in 2024.

The Ripple Effect

These aren't just statistics on a spreadsheet. They're mortgage payments, college funds, and Friday night dinners out in communities across Michigan.

In Richland Township, 1,244 families now have steady income and health benefits. In Marshall, 146 workers are building America's electric vehicle future. In Midland, over 5,000 families kept the stability they were counting on.

The 1,846 new jobs represent just 13 percent of the 14,559 positions companies promised to create over several years. But Michigan Economic Development Corp. spokesperson Danielle Emerson emphasizes these massive projects were always designed for long term results.

"These are good paying jobs with important economic impacts to the communities they are in," Emerson said. "We have every confidence it will continue to happen."

The program faced political headwinds recently, with lawmakers defunding it for the current budget year amid debates about taxpayer subsidies. But the first year's hiring data shows the strategy can work when companies and communities commit for the long haul.

Michigan bet big on its workers, and those workers are clocking in.