Detroit is getting a six-figure boost for its young workers, and City Hall is looking to stretch every dollar. Terri Weems, the mayor’s special advisor on workforce and Detroit’s group executive for workforce development, said a new round of state funding will expand paid internships, credentialing and year-round supports for young Detroiters. The money is part of a $4 million Young Professionals package aimed at Michiganders ages 14 to 24 who face barriers to employment. Weems said Detroit’s workforce agency will receive nearly $265,000 to plug into summer placements and education-to-career pathways.
According to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the state awarded $3 million in Young Professionals grants and $1 million in Young Professionals Plus awards to 16 Michigan Works! agencies. The funding is meant to pay for career exploration, paid work experiences, and in-demand credentials for youth ages 14 to 24 who face employment barriers, with a focus on connecting them to high-demand industries. LEO’s announcement also noted that more than 600 young people took part in Young Professionals activities in 2025.
Those statewide awards are being channeled through local Michigan Works! offices. As reported by Michigan Chronicle, Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC) will receive roughly $203,600 from Young Professionals and $61,334 from Young Professionals Plus, for a total of about $264,934. The Chronicle noted that those dollars will support locally developed efforts to connect young people with employers and training. That local control, Weems told the paper, helps the city reach disconnected youth and narrow equity gaps.
In her interview with the Michigan Chronicle, Weems said: “DESC’s operating budget for 25/26 is $66 million.” She described the new state grants as a way to “connect young people, especially those disconnected from school or work, to paid, meaningful experiences, career exploration, activities, and internships.” She added that the city will monitor metrics such as credential attainment, retention, and employer hires to gauge long-term impact.
Grow Detroit’s Young Talent sits at the center
Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT), the city’s flagship summer jobs effort, is where much of this work converges. The program has grown to place roughly 8,000 young people each summer and, according to the City of Detroit, has provided more than 87,000 summer work experiences since 2015. DESC serves as the lead implementation agency for GDYT and works with employers, foundations, and community groups to fund placements and deliver pre-work training.
In a program transcript posted by the initiative, GDYT leaders and Weems note that the program now serves thousands of youth each year and that “it takes about 13 million dollars to run the program,” a figure that covers staffing, employer outreach, stipends, and support services. The GDYT materials also call out key metrics, including placements, credentials, interviews, and employer hires, which city leaders say will guide how the new state funds are put to work. More information is available from GDYT.
Even with the latest infusion, the roughly $265,000 coming to DESC from the state is only a small slice of overall GDYT funding. LEO’s awards table shows Detroit’s allocations at about $264,934. For Weems and her team, the value is in how these targeted dollars can lower barriers to entry by paying youth, supporting interviews, and helping cover credentialing costs, rather than footing the full bill for a citywide program.
Applications for GDYT are open through May 15 at GDYT.org, where youth, families, and employers can find eligibility details and registration steps. City and program leaders say the Young Professionals grants are one more lever to expand opportunity and help young Detroiters build lasting career pathways.
