The technology boom has hit Detroit hard, and we are all the better for it.
Coders, developers, and techies of all sorts are finding vibrant career opportunities in the heart of the Motor City. Skills that many college students might take to cities like San Francisco or New York upon graduation are now finding a home here. Detroit, along with locales in the counties just outside, have established themselves as places to hang one’s hat and settle into a prosperous work life.
Quicken Loans has pledged to hire graduates of the program for full-time positions with their tech team,
But what of those who haven’t gone to a four-yearcollege to gain these critical skills but are still eager enough to enter fields that will lead to a prosperous career?
The city has a solution: Detroit at Work, a program emanating from the office of Mayor Duggan, and Grand Circus, the tech company with campuses in Detroit and Grand Rapids that runs 10-week coding bootcamps as well as workshops in design, digital marketing, app building, and other hard skills currently in high demand by employers.
The two organizations have joined forces to offer TechHire Bootcamp, a free back-end developer training in Detroit.
“We created the TechHire initiative to provide pipelines into the tech sector for Detroit residents at all entry-points,” says ChiokeMose-Telesford, Deputy Director of Workforce Development for the City of Detroit. “Through the partnership with Quicken Loans and Grand Circus, we are able to ensure Detroiters have the opportunity for sustained careers in this fast-growing and well-paid field.”
As a partner, Quicken Loans has pledged to hire graduates of the program for full-time positions with their tech team, which, as a result of the mortgage giant’s constant expansion, is always searching for new talent. (the company has already hired 50 graduates from Grand Circus to date.)
Detroit at Work and Grand Circus know that the lure of tech jobs isn’t just that the work is interesting and plentiful: the pay is good too, if not great. Detroiters are hungry for 21st-century employment that can scale up and help them transition between industries. Coding and app building are sure tickets to just that sort of dynamic.
The TechHire Bootcamp will take on a select 12 students who will go through an intensive eight-week training, five days a week, 9 to 5, starting September 25 and running through November 3. There is also two weeks of mandatory pre-work that the course requires.
“This program is for Detroit residents who are interested and passionate about getting into IT to begin the careers as back-end developers,” says CelenaMancina, Director of Operations, Grand Circus. “Applicants accepted into the program will receive full scholarships provided by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and training in .NET(C#), a programming language used by Quicken Loans and other leading tech companies across the state. Upon successful graduation, they’ll be provided a conditional offer for a full-time position on the Quicken Loans technology team.”
What does it take to get into such narrow pool? A minimum age of 18, the ability to pass a background check, and a good dose of commitment and stamina. Resourcefulness, eagerness, and the desire to learn and grow are also cited as notable factors for candidates, qualities that any employer might look for in a new hire.
Applications opened Monday, August 14 and close Tuesday, August 22, but applicants must still pass an application review, phone, and in-person interview.
For more information on the program, visit www.detroitatwork.com
Lead photo courtesy of Grand Circus
Detroit at Work and Grand Circus provide free tech training to eligible Detroiters added by Cindi Cook on
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