Northwest Wayne News

Mayor Mike Duggan has officially opened the application portal for the 10th year of Detroit's summer jobs program for the city's youth, Grow Detroit's Young Talent (GDYT). The program aims to provide summer employment opportunities for young Detroiters between the ages of 14 and 24. The application portal, located at GDYT.org, will remain open until May 31, 2024.

Since its launch in 2015, GDYT has provided more than 70,000 summer work experiences for Detroit youth. This year, over 8,000 young Detroiters are expected to participate in the program, which has been recognized as a national model for summer youth employment programs.

Speaking at the opening event held at the downtown headquarters of long-time GDYT partner DTE Energy, Mayor Duggan expressed his gratitude to the funding partners and employment partners who have helped make GDYT a success. He emphasized the importance of providing a coordinated approach to bring together various summer employment opportunities for young people in the city.

City Council President Mary Sheffield, who attended the event, highlighted the invaluable experience that GDYT provides to young participants. She emphasized that the program offers building blocks for young people to explore their career interests and consider their future educational pursuits.

DTE Energy, a long-standing partner of GDYT since its inception, expressed its commitment to providing work experiences for the city's youth. Joi Harris, President and Chief Operating Officer of DTE Energy, stated, "Nurturing bright, young minds and showing them a variety of career pathways is an invaluable way to enable successful futures for all."

The GDYT program is managed each year by the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) as the lead implementation agency and fiduciary. DESC partners with various employers, foundations, philanthropic donors, and community partners to make the program possible.

Dana Williams, President and CEO of DESC, stressed the significance of the program in providing opportunities for youth and building the city's future leaders. Williams acknowledged the support of partners and the various ways they contribute, such as providing work experiences, funding, mentoring, and financial education.

GDYT offers a wide range of opportunities for Detroit youth, including work experiences with the Police and Fire Departments, employment with City of Detroit Departments, and positions in industries such as IT, skilled trades, and healthcare.

Bridget Hurd, Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, highlighted the program's role in exposing young people to various opportunities and expanding their awareness of future possibilities.

GDYT relies on funding from multiple sources, including the City of Detroit, employers, foundations, and individual private donors. Those interested in supporting the program can do so by becoming a funding partner, employer partner, affiliate partner, or volunteering to support key program components.

The process for successful youth applicants involves expressing interest through GDYT.org and being randomly selected through a lottery system. Selected youth must complete enrollment forms and upload required documents. Before starting their summer employment, all registered GDYT youth receive a minimum of 12 hours of work-readiness pre-training.

In early May, select partners have the opportunity to interview youth candidates at a GDYT-sponsored career fair. Eligible youth can also select their own summer work experience during a virtual career fair in June. Successful GDYT-registered youth attend a Youth Orientation to receive additional materials and information.

Grow Detroit's Young Talent aims to provide meaningful summer work experiences for young adults, connect them with providers and employers who can support their career goals, introduce employers to the next generation of Detroit's workforce, and align Detroit's youth workforce development programs to improve outcomes.

The Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation leads the GDYT program and also administers the Detroit at Work program on behalf of the City of Detroit. Connect Detroit serves as DESC's contracted coordinator and implementation partner, working with community and faith-based organizations, municipal departments, and the Junior Fire Cadets.