We partner in our community to create career opportunities for Durham’s young people.

Made in Durham is a community partnership of educators, business, government, youth-serving nonprofits and young people mobilized around a shared vision that all of Durham’s youth will complete high school and a post-secondary credential and begin a rewarding career by the age of 25.

Research shows that the prospect of a good job and a meaningful career can be a powerful motivator for young people to stay in school and complete post-secondary education and training.

Made in Durham partners collaborate to link work and learning more effectively by strengthening existing initiatives and creating new ones.

By creating an effective Education–to-Career system, we can prepare all of Durham’s young people for careers and build a pipeline of talent that helps regional companies compete and grow.

Our Timeline

Panel on Disconnected Youth

2011

A diverse group of Durham’s business, academic, criminal justice, community, and economic development leaders including MDC Inc. conducts research and interviews nearly 100 experts and practitioners to determine how Durham can better prepare its youth for successful adulthood and good jobs in the local labor market.

Call to Action

2012

Panel publishes "Made in Durham: Building an Education-to-Career System," calling for business, government, education, and nonprofit leaders along with youth and young adults to collaborate and build an effective Education-to-Career system for Durham.

Task Force and Working Group

2013

Made in Durham Task Force and Policy Working Group convene to develop an agenda and action plan for creating Durham’s Education-to-Career system.

Facilitating Partnership

2014

Made in Durham Task Force publishes "Made in Durham: Phase 1 Action Plan," which outlines steps to create Durham’s Education-to-Career system and calls for the creation of a nonprofit organization to facilitate a sustained partnership effort.

Made in Durham is Born

2015

Made in Durham Task Force creates a nonprofit anchor organization called Made in Durham to create and sustain Durham’s Education-to-Career system. The partnership updates its action plan for fiscal year 2016.

Inaugural Progress

2016

Made in Durham’s first annual report, "Better Together," highlights the partnership’s results and impact in building an Education-to-Career system serving all Durham youth.

Made in Durham hosts its inaugural Power of Partnership Summit to brief the community on its work and results and celebrate its collective impact.

Updating the Community

2017

Made in Durham’s 2017 report, "Creating Pathways to Success for Durham Youth," highlights the partnership’s activities and results in 2017.

Made in Durham's 2017 Power of Partnership Summit briefs the community on the partnership’s work and celebrates partners’ collective impact.

Reaffirming Commitment

2017

A task force comprised of members of Made in Durham’s Board of Directors and Advisory team reaffirm the community partnership’s commitment to creating an Education-to-Career system, providing the framework for the partnership’s FY 2018 work plan.

The Second Path

2018

"Of My Own: The Second Path," an audio visual documentary project by Amir Williams, a former intern at MID and the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke, is released.

Work-Based Learning Initiative

2018

Made in Durham forms a task force to work collaboratively with Durham Public Schools to create a Work-based Learning initiative that engages all high school students in career awareness and exposure. DPS adopts 3-2-1 program effective for 2019 school year and Career Pathways Documents are produced for students and parents.

3-2-1 Work-Based Learning

2019

With the official adoption of the 3-2-1 Work-based Learning at Durham Public Schools, Made in Durham launches a comprehensive community-wide campaign to create awareness and encourage participation of students and employers.

A Youth Perspective

2019

Youth led Annual Partnership Luncheon/WBL campaign. The Made in Durham Youth network produces the Annual Partnership Summit, providing a youth perspective to work.

Responding to COVID

2020

COVID highlights the connectivity infrastructure disparity for disconnected youth, and Made in Durham launches a campaign to provide computers and aid to students not served by Durham Public Schools initiatives.

Futures Report

2020

Futures Report/COVID Computer Campaign: with the completion of the three-year Oak Foundation grant, Made in Durham releases a report on their work with Disconnected Youth in Durham.

BULLS Academy

2021

Made in Durham creates a collaborative to engage young adults in the Life Sciences industry and launches the BULLS Academy concept.  

Anticipating COVID Impacts

2021

Impacts of COVID and BULLS: In anticipation of potential COVID impacts on learning loss, disconnection, and drop out rates for DPS High School students, Made in Durham creates working group to explore possible outcomes and best practice interventions.