The City of Detroit announced on March 13 that the application portal for Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT), its official summer jobs program for local youth, is now open at GDYT.org and will remain available until May 15 at 11:59 p.m. The announcement was made by Mayor Mary Sheffield as part of the city’s annual celebration of 313 Day.
The GDYT program aims to connect Detroit residents aged 14 to 24 with six-week summer employment opportunities across a range of sectors, including corporate employers, small businesses, community organizations, and various City of Detroit departments. Since its inception in 2015, the initiative has provided more than 87,000 work experiences to young people in the city.
“Grow Detroit’s Young Talent is more than just a summer job program — it’s an investment in the future of our city’s youth,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “By providing meaningful work opportunities, we’re equipping young Detroiters with valuable experiences to help them succeed in their careers and in life. This year, up to 8,000 young people will have the opportunity to prepare for bright futures.”
Joi Harris, president and chief executive officer of DTE Energy, which has partnered with GDYT since 2015, said: “At DTE, we believe one of the most meaningful investments we can make is in Detroit’s young people. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent helps students explore careers, build real-world skills and see what’s possible for their future—right here in their own city. We’re proud to keep this partnership going as we help develop the next generation of leaders, and we encourage other employers to join us in expanding opportunities and strengthening Detroit’s workforce.”
Council President James Tate Jr. also spoke at the event: “Each summer, Grow Detroit’s Young Talent demonstrates what is possible when a city invests intentionally in its young people… Through this partnership between the City of Detroit, our business community, nonprofit partners, and philanthropic leaders, up to 8,000 Detroit youth will gain meaningful work experience, mentorship, and a vision for their future. This year’s kickoff reflects Mayor Sheffield’s commitment to a true cradle-to-career pathway for Detroiters. I strongly believe that when we expose our young people early to opportunity—especially in high-demand fields like the skilled trades—we are not only preparing them for good-paying careers, we are strengthening the future workforce and economic vitality of our entire city.”
Mary Waters, City Councilmember At-Large added: “GDYT helps Detroit youth earn real money and gain real skills while working with real companies in the City of Detroit… Each year of my term I’ve employed students in my office through GDYT… It is truly an honor each year to kick off the application period.” Catherine Susko from Henry Ford Health said: “Programs like Grow Detroit’s Young Talent are essential to building strong thriving communities… By creating early access to meaningful work experiences we help young people see what’s possible for their futures—while strengthening the talent pipeline our city and region depend on.”
The program is managed by Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) as lead implementation agency for workforce development programs such as GDYT. Terri Weems from DESC said: “Detroit at Work has a variety of workforce development programs designed to provide valuable resources for Detroit residents… Whether in high school transitioning out or changing career paths we want residents—including youth—to make career choices with confidence while supporting work readiness.”
Applicants are selected via lottery after registering online; those chosen must complete enrollment forms and pre-employment training before starting their positions this summer.
