For some youth in Detroit, this is the last week of school before summer break. For others, they go to school year round or don’t go at all. Despite age or school affiliation, most Detroiters are getting hip to the warmer weather. This spring is going to soon turn into summer.
Being that we are a bike shop that works with youth, summer is a time when everything expands for us. I want to tell you about one of those program expansions right now: Mechanics-In-Training.
The Mechanic-in-Training program is a time when we put our money where our mouth is and bring on four high school aged youth to be a part of our staff. During the summer our MITs participate in a paid apprenticeship getting trained in mechanics and teaching skills. They spend their time teaching other youth in our Youth Earn-a-Bike program, pick up some shifts in our retail shop The Hub of Detroit and shadow other positions here at Back Alley Bikes.
This gives Detroit area youth work opportunities and a look inside a few sides of the bicycle industry. We’ve had MIT students go on to work at other area bike shops like The Wheelhouse, American Cycle and Fitness and The Hub of Detroit. So all around it is a pretty great program.
Hiring four additional staff members for the summer does have some costs associated with it. This year we’ve received assistance from Detroit City Connect’s Grow Detroit’s Young Talent Program and The Buck Dinner Fund to fund the program. This is great news for Ian, Omari, Duane and Shamar who will be working with us all summer.
So hopefully soon I’ll have another introduction post to give you with photos of our four new MIT students that start work this Friday, June 14th.