Apple plans to open a manufacturing academy in Detroit later this year, bringing new job training opportunities to a city that has long struggled with poverty and high unemployment.
The move is part of Apple’s $500 billion initiative aimed at expanding high-tech manufacturing and workforce development over the next four years.
The Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit will provide free in-person and online classes designed to help small and medium-sized businesses integrate artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing techniques, according to the company’s announcement Monday. Apple engineers, along with experts from Michigan State University and other top institutions, will offer training in project management, manufacturing process optimization, and supply chain efficiency.
“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “From doubling our Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to building advanced technology in Texas, we’re thrilled to expand our support for American manufacturing. And we’ll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation.”
The exact location of the academy has not been announced yet.
Apple’s plans build on the company’s existing presence in Detroit. In 2021, the tech giant launched its first U.S.-based Apple Developer Academy in the city, helping more than 1,000 students gain skills for careers in the iOS app economy.
By establishing the academy in Detroit, the company aims to provide local workers and businesses with tools to modernize operations and compete in a rapidly changing industry.
The program comes at a critical time for the city, where manufacturing job loss and automation have displaced countless workers in recent decades.
More details on enrollment and course offerings at the academy are expected in the coming months.
Earlier this month Apple announced that one of its popular retail stores is “coming soon” to downtown Detroit.
The broader $500 billion commitment will also fund initiatives such as a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to support Apple’s AI-driven products and the expansion of Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which provides resources for U.S.-based production and innovation. The company said the investment will contribute to direct employment, supplier partnerships in all 50 states, and research in fields like silicon engineering.
Apple estimates that it already supports 2.9 million jobs nationwide, including through its supply chain and developer economy. The company has also paid more than $75 billion in U.S. taxes over the past five years, including $19 billion in 2024.
