Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT), Detroit’s summer jobs program for the city’s youth started its second decade this month as Mayor Mike Duggan officially opened the application portal for thousands of young Detroiters.
GDYT was launched by Mayor Duggan in 2015, since which time 79,680 summer work experiences have been made available to Detroiters between the ages of 14 and 24. The Mayor was joined at the recent kick-off by members of Detroit city council as well as a range of employer, philanthropic, and community partners.
“In the ten years since we started GDYT, we have now provided almost 80,000 paid summer employment experiences for our young people,” said Mayor Duggan. “Many of the youth who took their first steps towards a career that first year are now themselves leading and mentoring others. That should be the goal for us all – to make the path a little easier for those that follow us.”
The kickoff event took place last Thursday, February 6 at DTE Energy’s headquarters, a valued partner since 2015. Their commitment has provided summer jobs and support to hundreds of young Detroiters over the years.
“DTE Energy is proud of our longstanding partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, offering essential work experiences for the youth of our city and providing grant support through the DTE Foundation,” said Paula Silver, senior vice president, Corporate Communications/Corporate Citizenship and DTE Foundation, DTE Energy. “This program empowers today’s youth to grow into the professionals, leaders and changemakers of tomorrow, setting them up for a successful and bright future.”
In addition to jobs with corporate employers, small businesses, community organizations and partners around the Metro Detroit area, program participants will have the opportunity to work across a wide range of City of Detroit departments.
“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 Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield. “By providing meaningful work opportunities, we’re equipping young Detroiters with valuable skills and experiences to help them succeed in their careers and contribute to our community. Our office has proudly hired GDYT interns, giving them hands-on experience in public service and the chance to build their professional networks.
With over 8,000 participants last year, we’re committed to ensuring even more young people have the opportunity to prepare for bright futures.”
Council President Sheffield’s remarks were echoed by Fred Durhal, Detroit City Councilmember for District 7. “Opportunity can change everything for a young person. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent is about more than work experience—it’s about exposure, mentorship, and discovering new possibilities,” said Councilmember Durhal. “Programs like GDYT lay the groundwork for a future where young Detroiters aren’t just participants in our city’s success—they’re driving it forward.”
The program has become an invaluable resource for young Detroiters as they approach the end of high-school and look to move into post-secondary education or a career. For older youth, the ability to gain experience across a range of industries allows them to make better-informed career choices.
“We are proud to continue our multi-year partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, which provides essential work-based infrastructure to Detroit youth,” said Alycia Meriweather, Deputy Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District. “This ongoing collaboration complements the career and college readiness programs currently in place within the District.
“By offering real-world experiences in an industry setting, students gain exposure to the expectations of a professional work environment while still in high school. This not only helps them make informed career pathway choices but also provides them with the opportunity to meet new people and grow their professional network. Such experiences are crucial for their personal and professional development, ensuring they are well-prepared for future success.”
The GDYT program is managed every year by Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) as the lead implementation agency and fiduciary for Detroit at Work. DESC partners with a wide range of employers, foundations, philanthropic donors and community partners.
“Detroit at Work has programs designed to meet Detroiters when they are,” said Terri Weems, Group Executive of Workforce and Detroit at Work at the City of Detroit. “Whether in high-school, or transitioning out of full-time education, or changing career paths after many years in the workforce, we want to provide our residents with opportunities to make career choices with confidence and be well-prepared for whatever future they want to pursue.”
The application portal, which can be found at GDYT.org, will be open through May 16, 2025 until 11:59 p.m. and is the starting point for any Detroit youth 14-24 who is looking to participate, as well as for any employer, philanthropic or community partners who want to take part in this year’s program.
“For the last 10 years, we have been honored to work with philanthropic, corporate and many other partners to turn GDYT into the national model it is today,” said Dana Willaims, President and CEO of DESC. “For those who want to partner with us again this year in this important work, please visit GDYT.org to sign up. The city’s youth, our leaders of tomorrow, thank you for your unswerving commitment and support.”
