SECTION C
BUSINESS Powered by Real Times Media
March 23-29, 2016
michiganchronicle.com
11,000 young people apply for summer jobs through Grow Detroit’s Young Talent Crain’s Detroit Business among companies helping effort to give more young people in the city opportunity, career skills In just five weeks, more than 11,000 Detroiters between the ages of 14 and 24 went online to apply to participate Grow Detroit’s Young Talent. The program, recently named one of the fastest growing in the country, offers young Detroiters an opportunity to spend their summer working at a variety of Detroit businesses, community-based organizations and nonprofits. The City of Detroit and Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation hosted dozens of enrollment fairs at schools, churches and communitybased organizations in every City Council district, reaching more than 1,800 youth. “There is no doubt that young people in our city want to work, they just need an opportunity,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said.
Reinvents fashion from frames to fur
“I want to thank all our faith-based and community partners who volunteered to host enrollment fairs and brought this opportunity to youth in our neighborhoods.”
By Britta Lee
Last summer, Grow Detroit’s Young Talent employed nearly 5,600 young Detroiters. This year, the mayor is raising the bar and has set a goal of employing 8,000.
Detroit’s resurgence is moving beyond the downtown scene. With that, a historic area known for its retail is getting a major upgrade.
Last year, Crain’s Detroit Business donated more than $75,000 worth of design, advertising and marketing services and offered access to its vast network of subscribers. Crain’s also highlighted Grow Detroit’s Young Talent as part of Detroit Homecoming last fall.
The Avenue of Fashion hasn’t been what it originally was in decades past, however, one designer has set up shop to begin changing the entire look of the district. C. Grantston Bullard is a native Detroiter and renowned furrier by trade. He has worked all across the country and world, but recently returned to his hometown.
Crain’s is once again partnering with the City of Detroit and Grow Detroit’s Young Talent to help us engage more businesses and reach the mayor’s goal.
Bullard’s store carries his name and offers luxury garments, bags and jewelry, to name a few. More notably, Bullard designs each of his pieces to create a unique and individual look.
“This is absolutely the type of community service that fits our niche,” Crain’s Publisher Mary Kramer said. “A summer jobs program for teens is an investment by the business community in our entire region’s future. Our own teen worker last year tackled the updating of an important database. We were pleased with the quality of his work.”
“I remember taking a hiatus to produce everything myself,” Bullard said. “I desired to [create] products that were four seasons after only doing outerwear.”
Employers can participate for as low as $850 per teen. If you are an employer interested in hiring a Detroit youth for the summer or have questions, go to www.gdyt.org. The application review process begins March 21. Youth selected for the program will be notified by April 29. The program runs July 6 through Aug. 26. Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) is a sixweek summer youth employment program that combines work readiness training with on-the-job experience designed to prepare Detroiters, ages 14 to 24, for Detroit’s workforce. With the help of Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit’s philanthropic and corporate leaders, it is reiterated that they employed 5,600 in 2015. This year, our goal is 8,000 youth in meaningful employment.
Bullard has even engineered a designer, rimless eyewear collection that allows wearers to change the lenses at will.
How The Program Works
“A person buys one pair of frames, and he or she can simply change the lenses,” he said.
Workplace Readiness – GDYT youth are prepared for the workplace through 12 hours of work readiness training prior to placement at a worksite and 24 hours of ongoing training throughout the summer.
Growing up, Bullard’s grandfather owned a store inside one of his churches. While the designer began as a sales rep, he eventually decided to take things to a creative level. Bullard pushed himself to learn the trade of fur from foreigners. That decision is one that inspired the motto he lives by to this day.
Youth Recruitment and Matching – Eligible young people are recruited through local schools, community organizations, and the city’s workforce development system. Youth are matched to employers based on interest, ability and accessibility. Employers can interview candidates or allow GDYT Youth Specialists to manage the entire placement process.
“Don’t concern yourself with what you can buy,” said Bullard. “Only concern yourself with what you can create, and you can buy what you want.”
Youth Support – Youth are supported throughout the summer by their assigned GDYT Youth Specialist, who provides ongoing training throughout the summer and helps the young person have a successful summer in the workplace. GDYT youth will also receive bus passes to assist with transportation throughout the summer. Employer Support – GDYT makes the employer’s job easy by providing support to ensure success. Every employer will have access to: 1) Employer Training (live or webinar); 2) Employer Tool Kit; and 3) Employer Liaisons. The GDYT program also handles youth payroll.
There are three ways to get involved:
1. Become an Employer Partner and offer a sixweek work experience (up to 20 hours per week) at your workplace through a 50-50 match of $850. GDYT will manage student recruitment, payroll, work readiness training, and employer support services. 2. Sponsor a full work experience through a $1,700 Pledge to GDYT. GDYT will manage student recruitment, payroll, and work readiness training and match the young person to the right job opportunity. 3. Contribute to GDYT by directly hiring a city of Detroit youth. GDYT provides the options of helping you recruit and screen summer hires and offers employment support services, free of charge.
Bullard is a trailblazer in his industry. He was the first African American male to have a fur collection on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily. With a career that spans three decades, Bullard has served as somewhat of an icon among black fashion designers. His work embraces the beauty of cultural diversity with an assortment
See C. Granston Bullard Page C-2
Britta Lee photos
Joni Thrower, McDonald’s GM, wins prestigious global award Joni Thrower, general manager of the McDonald’s restaurant at Detroit Metro Airport McNamara Terminal in Romulus, has won a Ray Kroc Award, an accolade that recognizes the top performing McDonald’s restaurant managers globally.
April 13, 2016, at the Ray Kroc Awards Gala in Orlando, Fla., hosted by Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s president and chief executive officer, and David Fairhurst, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief people officer.
Thrower, a Detroit resident, was one of 340 McDonald’s Joni Thrower restaurant managers around the world (representing the top 1 percent of restaurant managers) to receive the honor, which includes a cash prize and a trophy. She will be awarded her prize on
Thrower, daughter of McDonald’s owners Jim and Marla Thrower, has been working for McDonald’s periodically for more than 25 years. Prior to returning to McDonald’s, Thrower was a senior attorney and di-
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Thrower. “My success is truly a reflection of the strong team I have in place. We are appreciative of every customer we serve.”
See JONI THROWER Page C-4
New Detroit to conduct business education seminars for small business owners New Detroit, Inc. will conduct a series of business education seminars for small business owners in April and May to provide help with such topics as writing a business plan, understanding the commercial lending process and other key issues affecting small businesses. The six sessions will begin Monday, April 4, on the campus of Marygrove College and will continue on a weekly basis through May 9. The series is open to small businesses that have revenues of less than $1 million a year and have been in business for not more than five years.
“The Minority Small Business Education Series provides a practical overview of issues that are essential to small business owners,” said New Detroit President and CEO Shirley Stancato. “The sessions are designed to cover topics that were identified as important in a New Detroit survey of minority small business owners. “The series is open to all types of businesses and will provide valuable business insights on a wide range of topics that are critical to running a successful small business, including information on resources available to support mi-
nority businesses doing business in low to moderate income neighborhoods and communities.” Stancato said the topics covered in each individual session will be: April 4: Writing a Business Plan and Creating a Marketing Plan April 11: Understanding Financial Statements and The Commercial Lending Process April 18: Insurance and Bonding May 25: Legal Structures, Licensing and Taxation
May 2: Business Technology May 9: Human Resources and Cultural Competency All classes will be on the campus of Marygrove College at 8425 W. McNichols in Detroit and will run from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30. There is no cost to attend but prior registration is required. Interested business owners can register online at www.newdetroit.org. For more information, businesses owners should contact Rich Hawkins of New Detroit at rhawkins@newdetroit.org or call him at 313-664-2045.