Building the Next Generation of Leaders, Innovators, and Entrepreneurs
At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan (BGCSM), we are more than just an after-school program. We are a launch pad for youth seeking to become career-ready, startup-savvy, and even future homeowners. Our Industry Clubs are at the heart of this mission, providing young people with the skills, confidence, and hands-on experiences they need to thrive in the modern workforce.
Why Industry Clubs?
A report by the Brookings Institution and Child Trends, Pathways to High-Quality Jobs for Young Adults, analyzed employment outcomes for young adults from low-income backgrounds and communities of color. The findings indicate that work-based learning experiences in high school, such as internships and apprenticeships that foster positive relationships with adults, can lead to better-quality jobs for these youth by age 30. Additionally, holding a job during adolescence (ages 16 to 18) is associated with higher job quality and wages by age 23.
To give our youth the best career on-ramp possible, BGCSM developed Industry Clubs, a revolutionary workforce development initiative that prepares youth aged 14 and up for real-world career paths through immersive training in high-demand industries. From fashion and entertainment to technology and sports, our Industry Clubs offer Detroit’s young people a unique opportunity to explore their passions, gain professional skills, and develop the
entrepreneurial mindset needed for success.
By blending industry-specific knowledge with cross-functional skills like communication, time management, and technical proficiency, each Industry Club ensures that participants not only learn but excel. Our goal is simple: empower Detroit’s youth to become leaders, innovators, and homeowners in the future.
Explore Our Industry Club Offerings
BGCSM Industry Clubs span a wide range of industries, ensuring there’s something for
everyone. Some of our exciting clubs include:
- Fashion Industry Club: Learn design, production, and entrepreneurship through pathways that include creating a clothing line. Prior club members attended and showed their creations at New York Fashion Week.
- Sports Industry Club: Explore careers in sports management, operations, marketing, and even eSports.
- Entertainment Industry Club: Dive into videography, production, broadcasting, and set
design. - Technology Industry Club: Gain coding, app development, and drone aviation skills.
- Mobility Racing Industry Club: Learn how to design, code and race autonomous vehicles, competing on the global stage in events like Autonomous Racing League in AbuDhabi.
- Risk Management Industry Club: Learn the principles of risk management, covering everything from finance to legal liabilities.
- Urban Planning Industry Club: Help shape the future of Detroit’s neighborhoods through urban development projects.
- Design Industry Club: Discover the art of transportation and interior design, unlocking your creative potential.
A Path to Success: Why Teens Should Join Industry Club
For teens, each Industry Club offers something truly different: real-world experiences that can shape your future. Imagine designing your own clothing line for Detroit Makers Market, learning how to code and launch your own app, or even an eSports entrepreneur launching their own company or a fashion designer ready to debut at New York Fashion Week. Industry Club members get paid up to $15/hour for participating in hands-on, skill-building experiences over 120 hours of training, led by current practicing industry professionals.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Career-Ready Skills: Get a head start on your career with skills that will set you apart.
- Hands-On Learning: You’ll work on real projects, from creating clothing to developing apps.
- Mentorship Opportunities: Gain 1:1 mentorship from industry professionals.
- Financial Literacy & Emotional Wellness: Develop life skills that go beyond the workplace, such as money management and self-regulation.
- Networking: Field trips, career panels, and collaborations with partner organizations
mean you’ll meet professionals and get a taste of life after high school.
For teens ready to kickstart their future, or for parents looking to give their bright stars an
opportunity to shine, email IndustryClub1@bgcsm.org to apply or learn more.
Help Us Shape the Next Generation of Leaders
For our supporters, the Industry Club is a transformative opportunity to invest in the future of
Detroit’s youth. By supporting this program, you’re helping to shape the next generation of
leaders who are not only career-ready but also equipped with the entrepreneurial skills to build
their own futures.
Your donations help us provide the following opportunities:
- Equity and Access in Workforce and Entrepreneurship Training: There are real financial costs for youth to successfully engage in after school activities and to be employed. By paying our youth for their participation, this not only provides real financial benefits while they learn but provide equity and access to opportunities to youth who might otherwise be left behind due financial hardship.
- Mentorship and Career Development: We pair youth with industry experts who guide them toward success sharing not only real-world knowledge but connection in-roads in competitive industries.
- Growth and Expansion: In 2024, we aim to employ 500 Detroit youth, scaling up to 1,500 youth annually by 2028. Your support makes this possible.
We are always looking for industry experts, companies and supporters to help us create new opportunities for our Industry Club youth. If you would like to take a tour or learn more how you can support the generation of career ready, startup-savvy youth, please email Melanie Esland at melanie.esland@bgcsm.org. If you would like to support our Industry Clubs right now, donate here.
Check out how BGCSM’s Industry Clubs are creating national attention:
- University of Virginia Youth-Nex: Case Study and Blog post on BGCSM Industry
Clubs. - Jobs for the Future: BGCSM’s Industry Clubs as a best practice model for
workforce development.
