Redeem Detroit nonprofit starts skilled trade school to fill job gap in Michigan

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Pastor Alonzo Bell and Marcus Weldon's nonprofit Redeem Detroit is building hope and possibilities. They are renovating a 16,000-square foot building on Gratiot to introduce the skilled trades to young Detroiters.

"The sky is the limit man, I'm just dreaming, Bell said.

"One thing about it, skilled trades is where the money is at right now," said Weldon. "The value of what they're paying people right now is unbelievable. The value of what they are paying people now is unbelievable. Materials have increased, everything has increased and they don't have enough people to actually do the labor."

Insiders and experts have long said there's a skilled trades gap not just in Detroit, but the state. They're working to help close it.

Students will go through an eight-week program and be ready to enter an apprenticeship afterward.

"One of the things I've experienced as a pastor and founder of Redeem Detroit is that a lot of our young people if they're not able to make it into college, they don't have any other option," Bell said.

Redeem Detroit's first cohort is 10 graduating seniors from Pathways Academy on Detroit's east side. All young ladies, all teen moms.

"Young ladies have been taught they should be teachers or nurses. this is really giving us an opportunity to show our skills," said Michelle Shawver, Pathways Academy.

Redeem Detroit getting a big helping hand from HVAC company Trane in the form of a new HVAC system for their facility and a $25,000 grant.

"Essentially when we're interviewing candidates for these positions, there's almost no minorities or women in the trades - and I believe there are better-paying jobs right now than other jobs out there," said Parry Hughes VP & GM Trane-Michigan.

Redeem Detroit will also offer wrap-around services for their students.

"When you put your money into helping teen parents, not only are you helping that parent, you're helping that child," said Alonzo Bell. 

"And after they graduate, we want to make sure we're there to give them a helping hand to move forward, so they won't ever have to look backwards again except to see where God has brought them from."

That first cohort will start their journey into the skilled trades in late June for more information about Redeem Detroit go to: www.redeemdetroit.org