Partnership builds on BGCSM’s ‘Industry Club’ program partner list with Big Sean and Shaka Senghor and aims to synergize Michigan Central’s cutting-edge innovation resources with BGCSM’s vibrant youth community
DETROIT, MI – August 30, 2023 – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) announced during D.O.N. Weekend a new collaboration with Michigan Central to expand BGCSM’s workforce and entrepreneurship program Industry Club, and see BGCSM move its headquarters back to Detroit with occupancy in Newlab at Michigan Central.
“We’re excited to partner with Michigan Central to expand our Industry Club programming, and to bring our headquarters back to Detroit,” said Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO at BGCSM.
“This expanded partnership puts our youth at the forefront of technology, mobility and the innovation economy.”
The new partnership will build on BGCSM’s previous success collaborating with public figures and organizations like musician Big Sean, activist, and NY Times best-selling author Shaka Senghor and the BGCSM program Ponyride to provide workforce development opportunities for young people interested in the future of mobility, entrepreneurship and careers in technology, fashion, literary arts, urban planning and entertainment and more.
“In order for Detroit to truly succeed, we must be intentional about providing opportunities for the city’s youth,” said Nate Wallace, director of Civic Partnerships at Michigan Central. “The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is a national leader in empowering young Detroiters and preparing them to become leaders themselves. This partnership will not only introduce our youth to the future of technology, it will help them be a part of it.”
In its efforts to help drive broad-based local and regional economic development, Michigan Central is establishing an unparalleled ecosystem of mobility innovation. Newlab at Michigan convenes a wide range of cutting-edge companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs, and offers them access to purpose-built prototyping labs, facilities and resources to build breakthrough technologies. BGCSM will act as a key partner for youth development activities at Michigan Central, helping coordinate programs and activities that leverage the advanced technology development resources and leading innovators anchored at Newlab at Michigan. Initiatives will include things like:
- Technology & Gaming Workshops
- Fashion & Design Studios
- Architecture and Artistic Explorations
- Robotics & Automation Bootcamps
- Workforce Development & Mentorship Programs
- Arts & Culture Events
- Overall Administration
BGCSM’s Industry Club program launched in 2020 to offer an unparalleled immersive summer and after-school experience for young people interested in pursuing a career in retail or fashion merchandising. It now has expanded to offer paid training in the Data Science, Risk Management, Urban Planning, Technology, Music, Production and Entertainment, Sports and E-Gaming and Design industries.
The collaboration with BGCSM is part of Michigan Central’s larger community-focused programming to help build a diverse and well-prepared talent pipeline by removing barriers to opportunity for Michiganders and helping to solve the talent gap in tech. Through a range of initiatives and partnerships, including bringing Google Code Next to Detroit, Michigan Central aims to facilitate a range of learning opportunities at the entry-, medium- and high-skill levels through many approaches involving traditional classroom-style instruction, internships and fellowships, apprenticeships, and other hands-on experiences.
###
About Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
Founded in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) serves 21,000 youth, families, and entrepreneurs annually in neighborhoods throughout Southeastern Michigan. BGCSM has reimagined the future of after-school programming by focusing on the root cause of issues facing our community, which is poverty. BGCSM’s mission is to ensure youth leave our Clubs career, start up and homeowner ready.
About Michigan Central
Michigan Central is a center for advancing technologies and programs that address barriers to social, economic and physical mobility. Its 30 acres in Detroit are both a convening place and a call-to-action to advance a more sustainable, equitable future through a community-based approach to mobility solutions. Building on Detroit’s rich history as an engine of change, the transformative Michigan Central project aims to strengthen the city’s existing fabric of community and accelerate its economy, while inspiring collective action on the most pressing challenges at the intersection of mobility and society worldwide.