In Michigan, approximately one in five jobs are tied to the automotive and mobility industry, yet only 10% of youth in the state are interested in mobility careers. Addressing the misalignment between job growth and interest is critical for keeping Michigan at the forefront of mobility innovation.
MichAuto’s High-tech Talent Initiative is designed to address this perception gap and generate excitement and interest in mobility careers for Michigan’s next generation of high-tech talent.
One of the core projects in our High-Tech Talent work is You Drive the Future, a social media project designed to inspire Gen Z in Michigan to pursue high-tech education and career opportunities in the state’s signature industry.
You Drive is built on the belief that marrying authentic, real-world stories from Gen Z in the high-tech talent industry and relevant, targeted information into a lively social media presence can change Gen Z’s perception of the industry.
Through our initial pilot during Fall 2023, we proved our hypothesis that authentic, “vlog” style stories generate immense engagement from our target audience.
The initial work funded by the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), begun in 2022, resulted in You Drive gaining:
- 6 million paid brand impressions (views)
- 1.4 million engagements
- 4,000 followers between all three platforms.
This year, MichAuto received additional funding from OFME to continue its initiatives critical to expanding Michigan’s high-tech workforce, including You Drive. To further increase reach, our goal is to showcase 30 unique influencers from across the state.
MichAuto investors are encouraged to showcase their Gen Z talent on the You Drive channels. By highlighting young professionals working for your company, you are showcasing your business to Michigan’s next generation of high-tech talent workforce.
As MichAuto’s Mobility Initiatives Coordinator, I am interested in connecting with MichAuto investors who want to get involved. Please contact me at mthomas@michauto.org. I would be happy to discuss the project in depth and answer any questions you may have.
In the meantime, follow You Drive on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.