AT&T hosted nearly 50 Osborn high school students Thursday (January 28) for a career day at its downtown headquarters as part of the AT&T Aspire Mentoring Academy program.
The students, all attendees of the three Osborn schools, are participants in the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) program run in partnership with the City of Detroit’s workforce agency, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC).
Students had the opportunity to tour the facility and receive demonstrations of new technologies, as well as talk with employees from different departments and find out what qualifications are required for entry-level positions with AT&T.
“AT&T has made it a priority to support students in our community to reach the critically important goal of high school graduation,” said Jim Murray, President of AT&T Michigan. “Giving them hands-on access to potential careers is a great opportunity to show them all that is possible through a good education, and our AT&T staff love welcoming the students to our facilities.”
The JMG program, part of the national Jobs for America’s Graduates organization, was launched in partnership with DESC in late 2014.
“Our partnership with Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates has been very positive,” said Stephanie Nixon, Director of Program and Service Innovation at DESC. “Youth who were at risk of dropping out of education with no job and a bleak future have become standout students with good grades and vastly improved career prospects. We are thrilled for these kids to potentially have access to careers with blue-chip companies like AT&T.”
Since its launch in Detroit, over 350 at-risk youth have signed up for the JMG program at Cody and Osborn schools. Results have been spectacular, with 94% of seniors attaining a high-school diploma, and 85% going on to full-time employment or post-secondary education.
“Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates prepares youth for employment by giving them the tools they need to succeed in the workforce,” according to Kristin Harrington, Director of JMG. “Our programming across 25 Michigan cities is dedicated to creating a talent pipeline into high demand industries. Michigan employers have an urgent need for an exceptional workforce, and through partnerships with industry leaders such as AT&T, JMG is able to deliver that talent.”
The importance of youth employment was underscored in 2015, when Mayor Mike Duggan’s Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) initiative partnered with 144 Detroit employers to secure summer jobs for 5,594 Detroit youth, getting kids off the street and into jobs teaching them valuable life skills.
DESC is the lead agency for GDYT for this summer, and has been given a target of 8,000 summer jobs for Detroit youth. Those interested in signing-up for a summer job opportunity can attend one of two youth registration events taking place this Saturday, February 6, from 10am-2pm at Historic East Lake Baptist Church (12400 E. Jefferson) and Triumph Church (2760 E. Grand Boulevard). Online registration is also available by visiting the program website at GDYT.org.
Employers interested in providing summer job opportunities should contact City of Detroit Director of Youth Services Ricardo Marble by emailing MarbleR@detroitmi.gov.
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