Detroit Opens Up Summer Jobs Programs For Young Residents, Paying $1,700 for 6 Weeks

DETROIT (WWJ) Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is trying to get 8,000 young people employed during the summer months.

Duggan is asking Detroit businesses to commit to hiring at least one person between 14 to 24 years old as part of a new city employment program. Duggan says the businesses would pay $1,700 for each seasonal employee, train them and keep them on staff for six weeks.

This is the second year for the Greater Detroit Young Talent program.

"I think the fact that we had such great success last year, at 5,600 kids, caused the whole business community to say let's stop running all these fragmented programs, let's unify in a single ... program," Duggan said. "There's confidence that we know what we're doing."

Last year, it went so well, he says, that more companies and potential employees want to get involved. The hope is that the summer jobs turn into long-term jobs, and valuable skills.

The system includes a website, payroll and evaluation system.

"So that next summer, employers who may want to interview can see how they did the summer before," Duggan said.