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Prepare Students for College and Employment

Find resources to help students access post-secondary options, including: academic support, applying for college, mentoring resources, employability skills coaching, and work readiness and job placement programs.

Note: inclusion of a link on this page does not indicate an endorsement by Wayne RESA. The list is for informational purposes only.

College Planning and Preparation Support

  • Advise MI
    • Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), provides counselors trained to enter high schools and support low income, first-generation students looking to apply for college, and exploring their options.
  • College Affordability Workshops for Parents
    • Workshops for parents from Education Planning Resources Co. on how to afford college, along with resources for college selection and application. Other counseling resources available.
  • EnACT
    • ACT and SAT prep, private tutoring, college advising and scholarship boot camps for students.
  • Livonia Community Transit 'To Work' Service
    • Livonia Community Transit also provides 'To Work' service for passengers coming to Livonia from the SMART and D-DOT bus systems. Riders are picked up from the SMART and D-DOT hubs in the morning and returned to the hubs in the late afternoon.
  • Michigan GEAR Up
    • A federal grant model program aimed at helping low-income students for success in post-secondary education, including career counseling; college admission overview; college financing.

Mentoring Programs

  • Beyond Basics
    • Services Detroit Schools by providing tutoring and supplemental programs in reading, writing, art.  Also mentoring is available.
  • Bing Youth Institute
    • Mentoring program serving young men of color, supporting academic, behavioral and social wellness.
  • City Year Detroit
    • Near-peer mentors serving under-served schools to help students at risk of drop out.
  • Winning Futures
    • Mentors prepare students to have successful careers and personal lives through the development of character.

Academic, Life Skills, and Work Readiness Programs

  • 21st Century After School Program
    • A federal/state funded Youth Development Commission program in Detroit serving students in high poverty/low performing schools grades 4-8.  Program provides tutoring, enrichment activities, academic support in reading/math.
  • Beyond Basics
    • Services Detroit Schools by providing tutoring and supplemental programs in reading, writing, art.  Also mentoring is available.
  • Black Family Development – Restoring our Youth
    • Provides training in programs that can change behavior to be more positive.  Support in math, reading, financial literacy, health also available.
  • CARES
    • Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. program providing classroom activities around work readiness and career awareness – grades 10-12, focused on Detroit High Schools.
  • Coaching for College
    • Program through the Youth Development Commission focuses on academic achievement and character development of student-athletes, to help them prepare for the next level.
  • Flip the Script
    • Counseling and workforce development services from Goodwill Industries for low-income students, ages 16-30.  Career training also available.
  • Focus Hope’s Ready, Set, Go
    • Training programs teaching behavior skills, along with math and reading skills – ages 16-18.
  • Job Genius
    • Express Employment Professionals site with an educational video series designed to teach young adults how to successfully enter the workforce.
  • Junior Achievement of SE Michigan
    • Provides programs K-12 that foster work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
  • Pathways to Jobs in –Detroit  Connecting Disconnected Youth – LIFT
    • Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow provides workplace readiness and technical skills training to disconnected youth.
  • SER Learning Academy 
    • The SER Metro Learning Academy is an alternative high school for youth aged 16-21 years old, tailored to the needs of each student.
  • SER Metro Year Round Youth Program
    • comprehensive year-round program for youth ages 14-18 – tutoring, academic enrichment, mentoring, career counseling, etc.
  • SER Metro Youth Build Construction Institute
    • combines education, occupational skills and leadership development and community service activities that will prepare students for career and post-secondary learning opportunities.
  • Wayne Metro’s Employment Training Programs
    • Offered at no cost to residents of Out-Wayne County experiencing homelessness, and are designed to help improve job readiness and skills.
  • Work Readiness Program
    • ​​​​​​​Goodwill Industries training program for individuals 18 and older, for those who have trouble finding or keeping a job. Individuals are assigned a Case Manager/Job Coach and Workforce Development specialist.
  • Youth Career Center

Employment Resources