Mayor's office releases details on plan to create 5,000 summer jobs for Detroit teens in 2015

5/29/2014

DETROIT — The city of Detroit today released details of a plan to find work for 5,000 high school students next summer.

Each student employed under “TeenWork Detroit” would earn about $2,000 during the eight-week program, Mayor Mike Duggan’s office said in a release.

Half of their pay would come from $3 million in existing federal block grants.

The city will work with the Skillman and W.K. Kellogg foundations and Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. on the program which is scheduled to start in 2015. Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. and City Connect Detroit will help connect students with jobs.

Donations also are being sought from businesses in the form of internships that do not require matching funds, according to the mayor’s office.

Duggan and City Council President Brenda Jones announced the plan Wednesday during the Detroit Regional Chamber’s annual Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan.

Nearly half of Detroit’s teenagers are unemployed, the mayor told WDIV-TV Wednesday.

“I know that I learned a lot on my first summer jobs about what careers I wanted to do and what careers I didn’t want to do,” Duggan said. “We need to create those opportunities. And it isn’t that hard ... for companies to hire young people — one or two — for the summer.”

The city says those seeking information or wishing to become sponsors can email youthjobs@cityconnectdetroit.org.