Mayor Mike Duggan announces open applications for Grow Detroit's Young Talent program
The City of Detroit opened applications for its Grow Detroit's Young Talent summer jobs program for city youth Thursday morning, Mayor Mike Duggan announced.
Grow Detroit's Young Talent launched in 2015, providing nearly 80,000 paid summer employment experiences for Detroiters between the ages of 14-24 years old. Participants will have a range of opportunities to work with the city, corporate employers, small businesses, community organizations and other partners across metro Detroit.
'Many of the youth who took their first steps towards a career that first year are now themselves leading and mentoring others. That should be the goal for us all — to make the path a little easier for those that follow us," Duggan said in a statement.
The program is intended to help young adults have summer work experiences that pave pathways to future careers and introduce employers to the next generation of Detroit's workforce.
Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation manages the program, partnering with various employers, foundations, philanthropic donors and community partners. The program has especially provided young Detroiters finishing up high school a chance to look into post-secondary education opportunities, and an ability for older youth to gain experiences across different industries.
'By offering real-world experiences in an industry setting, students gain exposure to the expectations of a professional work environment while still in high school. This not only helps them make informed career pathway choices but also provides them with the opportunity to meet new people and grow their professional network. Such experiences are crucial for their personal and professional development, ensuring they are well-prepared for future success," Alycia Meriweather, Deputy Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District, said in a news release.
The application portal is available online at GDYT.org. It will remain open through May 16 at 11:59 p.m., according to the city. Employers or partners interested in participating also can visit the website to fill out a form.
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The program offers several opportunities for partners to participate, including:
Becoming a funding partner by making a financial contribution to support summer work.
Becoming an employer partner by providing a job at your designated worksite and sponsoring a six-week paid work experience or 120 hours.
Being recognized as an affiliate partner by directly hiring youth through an existing summer program, which you operate.
Volunteering to support key program components, such as career fairs or work-readiness training.
Exploring options to provide year-round and/or permanent employment opportunities to Detroit youth.
Applicants will be randomly selected through a lottery system in which they must complete all enrollment forms and upload any required documents into the CareerEdge portal. Eligible youth will receive a minimum of 12 hours of work-readiness training before beginning their summer job. Partners will interview candidates in May at a Grow Detroit's Young Talent career fair, and eligible youth will be able to select their summer job experience during a June virtual career fair.
More information is available online at www.GDYT.org.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Duggan launches Grow Detroit Young Talent program for 2025
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