Job training available for Detroit teens, adults with hands-on program

DETROIT (WJBK) - These are Detroit high schoolers building a future manufactured at the newly renovated Randolph Career and Tech Center. 

"There are options after high school even if it's not the college path," said Principal Krysta McKinney-King. "It is a career path straight into the workforce industry."

Kids are bused in daily from 13 DPS schools for some hands-on experience.

"We have 300 high school students here during the day," said Nicole Stallings, deputy director of workforce development.  "And we will build toward 300 adults over the course of this year."

It is not just for high schoolers. Maya Sanders enrolled in classes back in January. 

"I didn't know anything about it but they have me really excited to get into the field," she said.

She is a Detroiter with a college degree but had been searching for a job for over a year. Now she is getting full-time training there to be an electrician, all for free. 

"There is no cost," she said.  "We get the hard hats for free, we get boots for free, we get our tape measures for free, everything has been free so far," she said.

During Mayor Mike Duggan's State of the City Address, he mentioned he will do everything possible to give Detroiters an opportunity to work. 
 
This program is geared towards people who live in Detroit but is open to anyone, funded by federal dollars and philanthropy. 
 
"That first step is really just signing up online or going to one of those career centers and we'll help anybody who is interested from there."

New classes start this month. To sign up, just visit detroitatwork.com/