Raven Scott (Detroit at Work): On this episode of 10, 000 Opportunities, we will be exploring our year round youth programs, including Grow Detroit's Young Talent.
Today, we're going to be following the paths some young people are taking to pursue their careers, and hear some of the challenges they've had to overcome. We'll hear from a young man who is pursuing his dream to be a filmmaker. and show how our partners created an environment where he could thrive.
Then, the story of a young lady pursuing a career in healthcare and the mentor who is helping her find her path. Also, we'll talk with the traders getting their start in the construction industry and the boot camp that's providing real world experience. Finally, we'll talk with some of our employer partners who support the programs we make available and the training partners who deliver them.
Let's get started.
Tariq (Aspiring Filmaker): The only thing that I've really ever wanted to do, um, was make films and be a director and writer. I first came across Life Leaders after my ninth grade year and when I first heard about it, I wasn't sure if I wanted to, to go, but my parents encouraged me to go. And that's been some of the best things that I've ever done.
The founder, Amy Theerlander, uh, and also the co founder, Kayla Murphy, they've helped me from the beginning. And I think that's one of the reasons why I've stayed so long, because they have a genuine care about the students that they work with.
Amy Nederlander (Life Leaders Founder): Working with Grow Detroit Young Talent has been an extraordinary experience.
Providing students, the youth, with wages. is a game changer for everybody. I think that Detroit is incredibly lucky to have this program. It's very, very impressive. Tariq specifically, uh, expressing an interest in film. We're very fortunate to have a documentary filmmaker. And Tariq is now, uh, involved in this production.
His name is in the treatment and he is a, uh, co producer of this and will be involved in the directing of it.
Tariq (Aspiring Filmaker): I love the relationship that I have with Amy. She's shown numerous times that she cares about me. She cares about my family. I love that she sees me as, as a filmmaker and as a growing young adult.
I think the difference between A job and career is, a career is something that you do long term. I know a lot of people say that if you like your job, then you, it doesn't feel like a job. And that's my goal with filmmaking. And in 10, 15 years from now, long term, I want to make feature films and have them show in theaters across the country and across the world.
Aleahthia (Nursing Detroit Participant): I didn't grow up always being poor. Like, I was financially secure. My dad had a, he had a good job at a factory working. My mom was a work at home mom. Eventually, my father, he lost his job and that led me to poverty. Whenever I deal with difficulty, I make sure that doesn't affect my life no matter what.
With Detroit City and GDYT, it helps me have an opportunity to have a work experience and to also to see that we have a lot of job opportunities here.
Felicia Smith (Nursing Detroit Founder): Detroit at Work is the promise for the city. There are so many young people that get left to the wayside, that have great potential. Detroit at Work goes out and creates opportunities.
For these young people, we cannot allow them to fall through the cracks. Nursing Detroit and Introduction Healthcare is a program that submerges young people into the healthcare world. They come out knowing that they can graduate high school and go right to the bedside.
Aleahthia (Nursing Detroit Participant): And I had met Nurse Felicia and I feel like that she was a great mentor for me because I know with her, what's in her story of how she has made it through life and How she's successful now, even today, she has really inspired me to be part of the medical field.
Felicia Smith (Nursing Detroit Founder): So, it's very important that we allow, um, the young people of Detroit to know that they have options. They have, there's other alternatives to the minimum wage job. If you have a passion for helping people, you can start now. And we need you now.
Aleahthia (Nursing Detroit Participant): I would tell little girls in Detroit to don't let nobody define who you are.
We all have a purpose in life, even if it's big or small. If anybody ever thought about signing up for GDYT, I would tell you not be nervous. Yes, even though you may go through things like anxiety or anything, like things people don't understand, you are able to be a part of something.
Dannis Mitchell (Barton Malow): You can see the difference that you can make as a one person in so many different people's lives when you give them a job opportunity that turns into a career path. We create viable futures for families in the communities in which we build.
James Connell (Motor City Electric): Motor City Electric and Barton Mallow Company are committed to the Boot Camp Program because it is so successful and it gives us future talent, gives us a pool of people that are motivated and are going to serve the industry well.
Alain (Boot Camp Participant): Being in the Boot Camp Program helped me a lot. When I came in here, I already knew I wanted to be an electrician and this is just putting a step forward for this.
Damon (Boot Camp Participant): For me, it's a great experience since I love doing hands on things. If I was talking to someone who would, uh, wanted to take advantage of this, I would tell them to really get off on an early start, you know, right out of high school you can get into the trade.
I'm happy that Barton Mallow Motor City, uh, took me on it.
Katie Gandy (Barton Malow): Candidates can sign up for the Barton Mallow Boot Camp in a variety of ways. First off, we like to partner with our vocational tech school, Randolph, to pull candidates and sign them up there. Secondly, we visit career fairs and pull candidates that way.
On-Screen Graphic: FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND OTHER SKILLED TRADES OPPORTUNITIES, VISIT DETROITATWORK.COM/YOUTH OR CALL 313-962-WORK
And third, we like to take referrals from our skilled trade individuals on our project sites. At the completion of the bootcamp program, if a candidate is successful, we will assist that candidate in getting into an apprenticeship program. We will also assist with pairing them with a subcontractor so they can gain full time employment.
James Connell (Motor City Electric): It's not always IQ, I think it's I will. The determination to be here on time every day, work hard. You don't have to know everything, but to be willing to learn. Follow directions and work hard is going to be key.
Dannis Mitchell (Barton Malow): It is my hope that the collaboration that has existed on this project site and others through clients like Bedrock and Detroit at Work, really served as a catalyst for connecting our development projects to the communities and providing job opportunities that turn into to careers that service the impact of our Detroit residents.
Tracy Disanto (DTE Energy): DTE is committed to workforce development, especially here in the city of Detroit. And so we are really excited that we had an opportunity to work over the last six years with Grow Detroit Young Talent.
Lewis (Apprentice, DTE Energy): DTE came to my school offering us a program. I didn't know what I was going to do after high school, so I felt like I would give it a shot.
I got paid. I got hands on experience. I got exposed to what the work was like. I'm in a good position for a career because DTE gave me the opportunity to take care of my family and a career with zero student loan debt.
Tracy Disanto (DTE Energy): Individuals such as Lewis Williams, who had an opportunity to get that exposure, now he's working here at full time in our maintenance space in the gas position.
I am just so proud to be part of all of the workforce development activities and the summer youth program in partnership with Grow Detroit Young Talent.
Raven Scott (Detroit at Work): Those are just a few of the success stories you can hear from Detroit at Work. If you or someone that you know is interested in an opportunity, it's very simple. All you have to do is go to detroitatwork. com or call 313 962 WORK or 313 962 9675. We appreciate you guys for watching and we can't wait to work with you.
On-Screen Graphic: Thanks to: DTE Energy, Nursing Detroit, Life Leaders, Barton Malow, Charles H. Wright Museum