In this episode of The Detroit Evening Report, we cover a virtual learning milestone, Detroit’s jobs report and an upcoming event for Black tech empowerment.

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Statewide GetSetUp partnership celebrates five years

The state is celebrating a five-year partnership with the digital platform GetSetUp. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services credits the partnership with safeguarding the mental health of many older adults in the state.

State health official Scott Wamsley says the program allows older Michiganders to socialize and learn computer skills.

“There are a lot of older adults that enjoy taking classes online,” Wamsley says. “In fact, we’ve had over a half million residents attend more than 1.5 million classes. So obviously people are enjoying the platform. It’s used across all 83 counties. And so it’s really been a win-win for us.”

Wamsley says the virtual classes offer everything from support for caregivers and the latest on Medicare to learning about the arts, travel, and food.

Detroit wages increasing

Jobs and wages are moving in the right direction in Detroit, according to a report from University of Michigan. In the City of Detroit Economic Outlook for 2024-2030, wage growth at jobs located in the city averages 3.2% annually, which is faster than the entire State of Michigan overall.

Detroit is expected to gain 1,500 payroll jobs annually during the forecast period. And by 2030, the jobless rate should decline to 8.9% while Michigan’s rate should be at 5.6%.

Detroit to host Digital Empowerment Summit

Black Tech Saturdays is having their 2025 Digital Empowerment Summit in Detroit on Sep. 26–27. This 3-day event is part of the National Digital Inclusion Week, aimed at fostering economic mobility through mass tech adoption. Dr. Megan Hicks will be a featured speaker. For more information, go to blacktechsaturdays.com. 

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Michigan’s official monthly unemployment rate in July remained at 5.3%, which was unchanged from June.

The number of unemployed people in Michigan decreased slightly by 1,000, according to the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. But the labor force – people who are either working or looking for work – declined by about 5,000 people.

 These numbers are close enough that, on balance, they failed to move the unemployment rate.  

“The unemployment rate held steady because the labor force declined, and that’s not what we’d like to see,” said University of Michigan economist Gabriel Ehrlich. “The reason wasn’t because the count of employed Michigan residents increased or held steady, it actually fell. So, the number of Michigan residents who reported that they’re working actually dipped last month.”

Ehrlich said he does not see anything alarming in the data, but will continue to watch the workforce participation numbers.

Michigan Labor Market Information Director Wayne Rourke said Michigan is not seeing big month-to-month changes in its jobs numbers, which shows employment remains steady.

 “Since January, the unemployment rates have really stabilized and Michigan’s rate has hovered between 5.3% and 5.5%,” he said. “So, looking at the last six months or so, Michigan’s unemployment rate has really stabilized after the large growth of last year, and that’s a good sign.”

Michigan’s July unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points higher than the national rate. It is also half a percentage point higher than it was at this time a year ago.