Detroit announces $100 million in adult scholarships
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit city officials say $100 million has been allocated to adult scholarships in an effort to help residents back into the workforce.
Officials on Tuesday announced scholarships in five categories:
Learn to Earn Scholarships: Residents who currently read below the eighth-grade level can get paid $10 an hour for up to 20 hours per week ($800 per month) to improve their reading skills. Residents unemployed for the past six months also are eligible for another $300 Jump Start scholarship per month.
High School Diploma Scholarships: Any Detroiter who was scheduled to graduate in 2018 or earlier can get paid $10 per hour for up to 20 hours per week ($800 per month) to earn their diploma or GED. Residents unemployed for the past six months also are eligible for another $300 Jump Start scholarship per month.
Skills for Life Scholarships: Get hired by the city and paid $15 per hour for three days of work per week and two days of class time. Job opportunities include park ambassador, neighborhood cleanup, door to door outreach. Classroom work includes training opportunities in a range of careers, including truck driver (CDL), heavy equipment operator, Information technology, skilled trades and health care positions. These careers have starting pays ranging from $17-$25 per hour.
Fifty Different Career Training Scholarships: The city offers 20 paid and 30 unpaid training programs, offered at no cost to the participants. Training programs are offered across a series of in-demand professions, including health care, information technology, hospitality, trucking and logistics, skilled trades and more. Information for each training program is available at DetroitAtWork.com/guide.
Residents can also seek assistance from nine Detroit at Work centers:
- 24424 W. McNichols
- 18100 Meyers
- 14117 E. Seven Mile
- 18017 E. Warren
- 5901 Conner
- 2470 Collingwood
- 2835 Bagley
- 9301 Michigan Avenue
- 16427 W. Warren
Jump Start Scholarships. This scholarship program is offered to any Detroiter who has been unemployed for at least the past six months. The program is a partnership between the Duggan administration and the city council. Scholarships are for the Learn to Earn and high school degree programs, and any part-time training. The program pays an equivalent of nearly $20 per hour.
Enrollment for the Jump Start program opened Tuesday.
"There is a job available today for every Detroiter who wants to work and half of them do not require a college education," Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statment. "Thanks to President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan Act, we have $100 million in adult scholarships that can help Detroiters who may have been unemployed for more than six months, or who want to be trained for a good paying job in a new industry, access those opportunities."
4 Scholarship Fairs
The city will be hosting four scholarship fairs to assist Detroiters wanting to enroll in the scholarships.
- Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Detroit At Work/Payne Pulliam, 18017 E. Warren Ave.
- Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Detroit At Work/Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers
- Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Boys and Girls Club, 16500 Tireman
- Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Detroit At Work/Durfee Innovation Society, 2470 Collingwood St.
