A recent report describing the adult workforce in Detroit says that 47% are unable to read.
Karen Tyler-Ruiz is the Director of the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund, the group that wrote the report. She said the numbers are not surprising. The high illiteracy rate indicates an unprepared workforce, a trend her organization hopes to reverse:
“Wherever the labor market data tells us there’s growth and opportunity for real career opportunity, not just a job but a career, then that’s where we’ll take a look.”
Tyler-Ruiz says the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund hopes to train Detroiters for careers in clean energy, health care, and the food system. The goal of the program is to coordinate resources from both the public and private sectors to teach participants the skills that employers say they need.
-Bridget Bodnar, Michigan Radio Newsroom
