Thirty-five hundred Detroit residents attended the Career Opportunity Expo on Tuesday at Cobo Center to prepare for the construction and construction-related job opportunities that will come with the building of the new Detroit Red Wings arena and surrounding Sports and Entertainment District that will connect Downtown to Midtown. Olympia Development of Michigan (ODM), in partnership with the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) and the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office, sponsored the expo.
Click here to view video from the Detroit Resident Career Opportunity Expo.
As part of the expo, Detroit residents were able to access resources to prepare them to secure one of the many career opportunities that will become available with the construction of the new arena and the District. With the support of DESC, residents were able to: meet with career counselors for a personalized skills assessment, talk with Skilled Trades Associations and employers, learn about available training and financial aid programs, obtain assistance with GED preparation and testing, take classes on resume writing and interview skills and connect with resources for childcare, legal assistance and other support services.
“The construction of the arena and build-out of the surrounding District will generate many new opportunities for Detroit residents,” said Christopher Ilitch, President and CEO, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “Our goal for this transformative project is to hire Detroiters for the available job opportunities while helping to develop a pipeline of residents ready for future construction projects that may occur in Detroit.”
ODM plans to have Detroit residents fill 51 percent of the construction jobs related to the new arena and related mixed-use development. Construction of the arena and surrounding District is expected to generate at least $1.8B in total economic impact, 8,300 construction and construction-related jobs and 1,100 permanent jobs. Detroit residents stand to gain more than $100 million in job income from construction of the arena.
The District Detroit will include a new arena and events center, businesses, offices, parks and residences in a 50-block radius that includes five neighborhoods where people will live, work and play. The project will connect Downtown to Midtown and create an urban area that is walkable, vibrant and full of life for residents and visitors to enjoy.
For more information visit: www.DistrictDetroit.com
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