Finding the Time to Grow: Malayah’s Journey with MWSW

Like many high school students, Malayah had a lot on her plate. Between academics, sports, extracurricular activities, and planning for her future, finding enough time in the day often felt like a challenge. While she wanted to gain work experience and begin preparing for life after high school, she worried about how she could fit a part-time job into an already demanding schedule.

When Malayah enrolled in the Michigan Works! Southwest Young Professionals (YP) Program in March 2025, she was looking for guidance. She had never held a job before and lacked many of the employability skills needed to confidently enter the workforce. She did not have a resume, had little experience interviewing, and wasn’t sure how to begin exploring career opportunities that matched her interests. At the same time, she was trying to balance the responsibilities that came with being an active student-athlete and participant in multiple extracurricular activities. Rather than allowing those challenges to hold her back, Malayah chose to act.

Working alongside her Career Coach, Rachel Spalvierii-Kruse, Malayah began building the skills and confidence needed to pursue her goals. During the summer of 2025, Malayah participated in the MyCITY Paid Internship Program, where she earned $12.75 per hour while gaining valuable workplace experience. Through the program, she was introduced to a variety of career pathways and developed a better understanding of the opportunities available within her community. She explored local industries, learned about in-demand occupations, and discovered the different paths people take to build successful careers.

As she explored her options, Malayah also focused on developing the practical skills employers expect. She created a professional resume, participated in mock interviews, and practiced presenting herself confidently in professional settings. With each new experience, she became more comfortable stepping outside of her comfort zone and preparing for future employment opportunities.

As the new school year began, Malayah remained committed to finding a balance between her academic responsibilities, extracurricular activities, and her desire to gain work experience. Malayah’s Career Coach worked closely with her to identify employment opportunities that could fit within her busy schedule and provided guidance on completing online job applications and navigating the job search process.

By the end of 2025, Malayah was ready to take the next step. Together, she and her Career Coach decided that reenrolling in the MyCITY Paid Internship Program would provide the best opportunity to continue building her experience while preparing for long-term employment. This time, the focus shifted from career exploration to securing a placement with a local employer where she could apply the skills she had developed.

In preparation for that opportunity, Malayah successfully completed a four-week pre-internship training program in early 2026. During the training, she continued to strengthen her workplace readiness skills while also learning how to use Xello, an online career planning platform. Through goal-setting activities and career planning exercises, she developed strategies for prioritizing responsibilities, managing her time effectively, and balancing the many commitments that come with being a student and an emerging professional.

Malayah’s hard work paid off. Following the completion of her training, Malayah secured a spring internship placement through MyCITY, where she began earning $13.75 per hour while gaining additional hands-on experience in a professional setting. The opportunity allowed her to continue developing her workplace skills while proving to herself that she could successfully balance employment alongside her academic and extracurricular commitments.

What began as a concern about not having enough time evolved into an opportunity for growth. Malayah learned that success is not about having more hours in the day, it’s about learning how to prioritize, stay organized, and remain focused on what matters most. As she begins her internship experience, she is doing so with greater confidence, stronger professional skills, and a clearer understanding of how to manage the demands of school, work, and personal goals.

Today, Malayah continues to demonstrate that determination and preparation can create opportunities, even in the busiest seasons of life. By investing in herself and embracing new experiences, she is building a strong foundation for future success and proving that growth happens one step, and one well-managed day, at a time.