DETROIT – Before 2015, before Grow Detroit’s Youth Talent program, young adults would have to search for a summer job at each company individually to apply for a summer job.
But now the city has made it real easy bringing all of the companies together with thousands of opportunities available.
“We are going to hire 8,000 young people this year through our partnerships with just about every company in this town,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
Companies will consist of DTE, GM, DMC, and more.
“We said, ‘what if we created a simple program in the whole city where every employer came in, and our young people could apply and get a choice of a lot of employers,’” Mayor Duggan said.
That is precisely what Kuwhysis Johnson did in 2022. A college student at Oakland Community College, unsure of what she wanted to specialize in.
“Not at all,” said Johnson. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do exactly. I just went through the list of options.”
“So we’ve got a virtual platform where students can go and actually look through all of the companies who have signed up for GDYT and understand a little bit about what they do, and also what the career pathways might be for those organizations,” said President Terri Weems of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation.
Johnson ended up getting a summer nursing job, and now she plans to become a pediatric nurse one day.
“This program is great,” said Johnson. “I will say that, and it’s a good opportunity for anyone that’s that doesn’t know exactly what career paths they want to go into. Just take the chance. I mean, it’s free money anyways.”
Since 2015 Grow Detroit’s Youth Talent has given more than 55,000 summer jobs to young Detroiters to benefit the youth but also give the participating companies a significant advantage.
“And also, what you’ll find is the employers who participate in this, you learn more from the young people than the young people learn from you,” Mayor Duggan said.
You would post: Registration for Grow Detroit’s Youth Talent is now open for employees and employers; it will remain open until May 20. Click here to register.
