© 2024 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Detroit program finds summer jobs for thousands of young people in the city

People are submitting their thoughts on whether Detroit's image is getting better.
Photo submitted by Joshua Mango
Detroit has one of Michigan's larger summer jobs programs.

Applications are opening up for summer jobs across Michigan.

One of the state’s larger summer jobs programs is in Detroit.

Jason Lee is head of the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent Program. He says a few years ago, the program served about 2,000 young people in the city.

"We're currently serving 8,000 young people on an annual basis," says Jason Lee of Grow Detroit's Young Talent.

“But under leadership and investment within the community, the program has grown from 2,000 to 5,000, and we’re currently serving 8,000 young people on an annual basis,” Lee says.

Lee says a lot of young people in Michigan find summer jobs through community or family connections.

“For a lot of young people, they don’t have that exposure within their ecosystem,” he says. “And so GDYT becomes important in providing the exposure and opportunities for Detroit youth.”

Detroiters age 14 to 24 are eligible to apply.

The program also accepts applications from employers willing to hire young people from the program for at least 120 hours during the summer.

Dustin Dwyer reports enterprise and long-form stories from Michigan Public’s West Michigan bureau. He was a fellow in the class of 2018 at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. He’s been with Michigan Public since 2004, when he started as an intern in the newsroom.
Related Content