Hey Everyone,
So I’m back. I’m back to updating the website every Friday. Suddenly it is summer or something and I want to tell you everything about the bike shop. But you won’t be able to take it all in at once so I’m going to update you about exciting new shop improvements slowly each week.
Four weeks ago I wrote about the Adult Mechanic Class
Three weeks ago I wrote about our Youth Rides
Two weeks ago I wrote about Youth Earn-a-Bike
Last week I wrote about Volunteering
So lets get on to this weeks topic:
Mechanic-in-Training Program (MIT)
For quite a few years now we have been hiring high school youth (aged 14-18) to be trained by and work for us each summer. This is a major part of our commitment to the Youth Development part of our mission. Through this program, our youth programs become peer lead and the MITs gain valuable work skills that they can use in the future.
Applications will be available starting April 28th. The applications can be submitted on Saturdays during our Youth Earn-a-Bike program, in our retail shop or digitally to shop (at) thehubofdetroit.org. Applications will be due May 28th.
After applications are in we will review them and select finalists for interviews. After interviews we will hire four youth to begin working on June 18th. These youth will work between 10 and 15 hours each week. For the first five weeks, much classroom time will be devoted to mastering basic mechanic skills. Each week those skills will be practiced as our MITs work at as staff during Youth Earn-a-Bike. The MITs will also be taught riding and customer service skills so later in the summer, they will help lead some of our youth rides and eventually work in our retail shop.
The MITs last day of work will be September 1st, the day of our fourth annual Safe Streets Youth Ride. Each youth will leave the program with a resume and positive work experience to assist them as they become an adult and part of the work force. In the past some of our MITs have gone on to work for the Wheelhouse Detroit, American Cycle and Fitness and for the Hub of Detroit. I dream that one of our MITs will be writing a similar web update that I’m writing one day because they’ll be The Hub’s program director celebrating our 30th year in existence. We’ll see what happens.
Here at the Hub we look for applicants that don’t only need a summer job, but for those that want to take something from the training as well. Like one of our MITs said in his interview last year “I want the knowledge to spread…like a virus!” He was explaining how he wanted to learn to fix bikes and then teach other kids on his block to do the same thing.
This year, I want to try to take things a step further. In January, Recycle-a-Bicycle puts on an event in New York City called the Youth Bike Summit. I’m hoping that we can take two of our MITs next January to the summit. Having youth work at our shop is great, but I want to see what ideas youth can come up with to change our shop and move it forward. This summit is a great opportunity for youth to get out of Detroit and see the world wide movement of bicycles that they are a part of.
In a little over a week we will be having our Open House on April 28th. MIT applications will be available at the Open House. I highly encourage those youth that are interested to come to the Open House and meet the staff and explore the space.
If you are interested in learning more about this program or would like to sponsor an MIT, please contact the programming office. Each student costs around $1,000 per summer for their wages. Each student will cost around $300 for food, travel, registration and lodging for the summit in January. Donations are greatly appreciated!