Detroit students learn about workforce etiquette at social summit

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They've made sitcoms about it like the Office on NBC. But look beyond the humor and you'll know there's some truth to it -- people on the workforce need a better grip on how to behave.  

That's part of the idea behind this day long youth summit for grow Detroit's young talent.  It's a project by the mayor's office to get thousands of teens in Detroit working this summer, but knowing how to do a job is just part of the equation. 

"It's about self-awareness and understanding those triggers for yourself and then having a set of skills and tools to work through it," said Nicole Sherard-Freeman.

Nicole with Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation is helping with this summit. Behavioral health is a huge focus because how you feel and how you act in the workforce matters.  

"Problem-solving and decision-making. It's about conflict management and it's about knowing when to lean into a conflict in a competitive scenario and knowing when to collaborate and accommodate, and quite frankly when to avoid the conflict," she said.
 
Arlaya Worthen is working two jobs and is helping out. She sums it up well.  

"I think it's really important for the kids to get mental health and it's really forgotten about in some homes so where can you go to get it? Well, we have it here," she said.

"These young people are important. They are our future. So if we don't teach them and train them they can't support us when we are older. We are aging out and they are taking over," said Andrea Smith.

Kyle Garrett wants to be a major musician one day. This topic is close to his heart.  

"You have Eminem doing a lot of references to Asperger’s, but really I want to see a revival; a mass awakening for mental health," he said.

"Everybody needs this," Freeman said. "It doesn't matter if you're in a small city, the big city, everyone has a need."