MICHauto, a program of the Detroit Regional Chamber working on mobility issues, has piloted a program called You Drive the Future in which current young professionals serve as online role models in different parts of Michigan. The goal is to show potential career paths to graduates who might otherwise leave the state.
“The key is putting it in the terms that young people consume information,” said Glenn Stevens Jr., Executive Director of MICHauto and Vice President, Automotive and Mobility Initiatives for the Detroit Regional Chamber. That means running the program on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and other social media sites. “This is a TikTok world, this is a digital video bite world, and that’s how kids consume stuff and that’s how we want young people to connect with them.”
And the state of Michigan has gotten involved, too. In December 2022, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a $2-million grant to fund MICHauto’s High-Tech Talent Strategy, an effort to build a constant flow of tech talent for the automotive/mobility industry, and to build Michigan’s global image as a mobility and tech leader.
The December Detroiter tackles the intertwined population and talent crisis that threatens Michigan’s future prosperity and growth. View the latest edition.