MichAuto and the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation Grant $215,000 to Expand Mobility Internship Programs

University of Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science recently received a $125,000 grant to assist mobility companies in Michigan with their internship programs.

Awarded by the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation and MichAuto, the grant is designed to develop future workforce by creating more internship opportunities and providing students the skills to be successful in these roles. The grant runs through May 2027.

“Internships are a really good way to develop the future workforce for these mobility industries,” said Richard Hill, associate dean for Research and External Initiative for UDM’s College of Engineering & Science.

With the grant’s support, UDM’s College of Engineering & Science has launched the Readying Professionals in Mobility (RPM) program to provide administrative support for smaller companies and startups in the mobility space.

Hill said the goal is to help companies with parts of the intern hiring process — such as creating job descriptions, marketing positions and screening potential applicants — as well as professional development.

“I think that these companies will see that these students have skills and energy that can provide a direct impact, even as interns,” Hill said. “But they’re also developing a future workforce, for the industry in general, but also for their companies.”

Home to one of the oldest cooperative education programs in the United States, UDM’s College of Engineering & Science hopes to leverage that expertise and experience as RPM works with companies to establish new internship programs.

Hill sees great value in internships and work experiences and believes they positively impact students.

“It’s quite motivating to see what you’re learning in the classroom and how it’s applied, but it also provides a deeper understanding of the things you’re learning in the classroom,” Hill said. “It also provides a lot of education that you don’t get in college.”

Although RPM is being run by UDM, internship opportunities will be available to students at universities and colleges across Michigan.

“Building capacity for internships and career exposure that are aligned with key corporate partners across the mobility industry is critical to enhancing our talent supply chain, filling critical positions and creating opportunities for smaller companies and startups in the industry to access this skilled talent,” said Drew Coleman, senior director of MichAuto. “We are thrilled to partner with Detroit Mercy to strengthen our automotive and mobility industry through the RPM initiative.”

The grant award from the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation and MichAuto is the College of Engineering & Science’s latest initiative to build partnerships with industries.

Last fall, UDM was one of five institutions in a consortium awarded $2 million from the National Science Foundation in an effort to support industry-sponsored partnerships.

“We’re trying to build connections between industry and academia for training, research projects and applied projects, but this is also a way that companies can engage with universities, through hiring interns,” Hill said. “It’s part of a larger effort to engage with local companies.”

UDM’s College of Engineering & Science is in the process of hiring a position to support RPM’s efforts.

Learn more about the Readying Professionals in Mobility program.

DETROIT, MI — YouthTank Detroit’s Mobility Leadership Lab has expanded, thanks to a $90,000 grant from the Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation and MichAuto. Running through May 2027, the grant strengthens Michigan’s talent pipeline by funding real-world, innovation-focused internships in one of the state’s fastest-growing industries.

Through the grant this summer, YouthTank Detroit coached high school and college students in paid internships where they completed project work for Detroit mobility and tech startups at Michigan Central’s Newlab in collaboration with Michigan Founders Fund. Students gained experience in AI and machine learning, software development, data analysis, digital media design, entrepreneurship, and project management—skills that prepare them for future careers while making an immediate impact on emerging companies.

“MichAuto is proud to partner with YouthTank to expand access to internships for Detroit’s future innovators.  Real world experiences with cutting-edge mobility technology companies create opportunities for young people to explore how they can have real and direct impacts to their community and the mobility industry,” Drew Coleman, Senior Director, MichAuto.

YouthTank Detroit’s paid internships empower 16-22 year olds in Detroit to access the innovation economy. We equip young people with professional mentors and experience and the creative confidence to launch real-world solutions in the Mobility Economy, through design, technology, and entrepreneurship. Interns will continue project work for startups throughout the school year, at our new home, Jefferson HUB.

“Youth internships are essential if Michigan wants to retain and grow talent for high-demand industries like mobility and technology,” said Holly Arida, Co-Founder of YouthTank Detroit. “By engaging students while they are still in high school, we not only prepare them with the skills and confidence they need to succeed, but we also build a pipeline of future professionals who see their future here in Detroit.”

Since 2023, YouthTank has partnered with startups including JustAir, Treehouse, and POGO to create meaningful internship opportunities. This grant expands YouthTank’s Advanced Internship Program, which combines technical training, mentorship from industry professionals, and project-based work that addresses real challenges in Detroit’s innovation economy.

More than workforce development, this initiative is about equity and opportunity—ensuring Detroit youth are not just passengers in the mobility revolution, but drivers of it.

For more information, visit www.youthtank.org or contact info@youthtank.org.

Through the Global Epicenter of Mobility initiative funded by the Economic Development Administration, MichAuto is investing in programs and initiatives that create sustainable talent supply chains in Southeast Michigan.  MichAuto is proud to announce partnerships with the University of Detroit Mercy and YouthTank to expand internships across the region.

About the Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM)

Led by the Detroit Regional Partnership, the Global Epicenter of Mobility or GEM™ is designed to help build a competitive and prosperous 21st-century mobility sector.

With $52.2-million in grant funds from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, GEM will help the Detroit Region:

• Develop cutting-edge technology
• Create new, quality jobs and careers
• Ready new sites for business

Learn more: Homepage – GEM.