Community Tech Workers project | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Type: Public event

Community Tech Workers project

Date & time

Jun 7, 2022, All Day

Location

Jefferson East, Inc. Resource Hub
300 River Pl Dr. #5250, Detroit, MI 48207

Small businesses are at the heart of our country's economic resurgence, placing job creation and economic control and mobility in the hands of the community. Yet, uneven access and familiarity with technology can severely limit businesses' growth and success, especially in resource-constrained communities. In partnership with local nonprofit community organization Jefferson East Inc., an interdisciplinary team from the University of Michigan is working to address this digital divide for Detroit entrepreneurs.

The Community Tech Workers project will pair three local residents with three U-M students to provide free one-on-one technology training and assistance to small business owners in Detroit's East Jefferson corridor for almost a year, while gathering data to understand the scope and sophistication of business owners' needs and their preferences for obtaining technology training/support. Through this pilot, we hope to better understand the specific needs and challenges business owners are facing in an increasingly technologically-oriented ecosystem and offer a workforce development model that could prove effective for other municipalities that wish to move more local residents into technology careers. 

Client appointments will begin on June 28.