Welcome!
This year, Made in Durham and our partners continued to open doors for young people to step into real opportunity. Through the BULLS Life Sciences Academy, 80 graduates built skills, gained confidence, and connected with leading employers such as Biogen, Merck, Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly. More than 80 percent of participants identified as Black or Latino, with most between the ages of 18 and 23, showing our focus on preparing the next generation in Durham.
The impact is clear. Alumni who secured jobs are earning wages well above the local poverty line, spending those dollars in Durham, and creating momentum for future cohorts. With strong community partnerships and more employers joining in, we are helping young people build meaningful careers while strengthening the foundation of our region.
The work of Fiscal Year 2024–25 marked another year of strong alignment to Made in Durham’s Mission, Vision, and Purpose.
We made minor updates to these guideposts to reflect our institutional knowledge and emerging data on the importance of economic mobility to our constituencies here in Durham County.
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Made in Durham identifies and addresses gaps and barriers in Durham’s Education-to-Career system through new models of collaboration within our community.
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Made in Durham sees a future in Durham when multiple pathways to economic mobility exist for residents, a skilled talent pipeline exists for industry, and our whole community thrives.
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Made in Durham believes all Durham youth and young adults should have access and guidance to participate in the area’s economic prosperity.
BULLS is building momentum for MID’s Mission, Vision, and Purpose, and the results are clear.
The BULLS Life Sciences Academy remains our anchor pathway, with 80 graduates this year stepping forward with skills, confidence, and new career prospects. This progress is possible because of strong community partnerships and the steady work of MID staff who recruit, coach, and stand beside participants from enrollment through their next steps.
Community Engagement
Youth Engagement
Alumni and Corporate Engagement
Durham residents are successful in BULLS.
23/22
Cohort 9: Students Enrolled / Graduated
30/29
Cohort 10: Students Enrolled / Graduated
30/30
Cohort 11: Students Enrolled / Graduated
BULLS students represent Durham County.
C9-Age Range
C11-Age Range
C9-Ethnicity
C11-Ethnicity
C10-Age Range
C10-Ethnicity
More students are starting careers.
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Graduates: 22
Employed: 8
Average Salary: $45,000
Total Cohort Y1 Wages: $360,000 -
Graduates: 29
Employed: 2
Average Salary: $42,000
Total Cohort Y1 Wages: $84,000 -
Graduates: —
Employed: —
Average Salary: $—
Total Cohort Y1 Wages: $—
More employers are hiring BULLS graduates.
More students are finding support.
Additional supports were also added this year:
Professional tutoring services
Drop-off childcare for BULLS parents
On-campus food pantry at Durham Tech
Made it.
HIGHLIGHT: The BULLS Initiative is about workforce development. Specifically, preparing Durham’s young people for careers. Building a pipeline of talent to help regional companies compete and grow. Damon’s story is about opportunity and commitment.
Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.
– Helen Keller, U.S. author, educator, and disability rights advocate
The BULLS Professional Learning Coach cohort provides productive and positive engagement to build capacity and expertise among our CBO partners. Their success is promising as we lean into a new season of growth. In the most recent quarter, they were specifically focused on how trauma impacts Durham’s young people and the practitioners who support them.
But that’s not all. Made in Durham is working on strategic initiatives to serve Durham’s young residents beyond the BULLS Initiative.
Our Organizational Model has been refined
A graduate student from Harvard included BULLS in her research and wrote a white paper about the initiative—the insights reflect the systems-based approach of the organization
A comprehensive Landscape Analysis of Durham’s Education-to-Career system is currently underway, with scores of community-based organizations having been consulted
A study focused on the economic mobility of residents is also being fielded, with findings available later this calendar year
These efforts and initiatives are charting the course for Made in Durham and how we deliver on our Mission, Vision, and Purpose every day.
Through it all, Durham's young residents and economic mobility have remained the focus of everything we’ve done and every decision we’ve made. As we learn more about what is working and the gaps that need to be filled, we are continually centered on codifying the systems we build to make these successes the norm, not an outlier.
As the lives of Durham’s young residents are changed, stories come alive. We’re telling them.
During the past year, along with a local storyteller and filmmker, Made in Durham embarked on a series of discrete video documentaries to tell the story of Durham’s young residents in and out of the BULLS Life Sciences Academy. We are thrilled to share two of these videos above. There are more in the works—stay tuned to our YouTube channel.
With the continued support of Durham County, a recurring column titled "A Life in Science" appeared in Durham Magazine. The 4-part series highlighted the BULLS Life Sciences Academy, the community partners who make the initiative possible, and of course, the students who bring their passion and dedication to every cohort.
As we enter another year of we work, more than ever, we are:
Focused.
Our message: Through a new series of videos, the staff is explaining Made in Durham’s work. It’s not only strategic insights, effective programs, a great work culture, and measurable results. It’s all of the above. We’re translating our work into momentum for a year of unprecedented impact in our community.
Of course, this work is not completed in isolation. We are grateful to our sponsors and partner organizations.
The 2023-24 Annual Impact Report for Made in Durham tells the story of the frontlines and the behind-the-scenes work making it happen. We’d be remiss if we did not highlight the support we receive that is the lifeline to everything we do. Without our sponsors and partners, we would not exist. Thank you.
We’re grateful you’re here, too. Thanks for reading this far and your continued support of Made in Durham and our area’s young residents.
Through it all, Durham's young residents and economic mobility have remained the focus of everything we’ve done and every decision we’ve made. As we learn more about what is working and the gaps that need to be filled, we are continually centered on codifying the systems we build to make these successes the norm, not an outlier.
We are excited to continue the growth and momentum built by the team and partners during FY2023-24 in the coming year.
Consistency in experience and staffing across systems and pathways being built as we continue to codify our pathway solution
Focus, support, and capacity-building beyond technical requirements will improve the implementation and efficacy of the BULLS initiative
Positive reinforcement to overcome existing traumas and negative experiences of Durham’s young residents as they enter existing and new solutions
Enhancing BULLS focus to include employing beyond training through Alumni support and newly established Corporate connections
Drawing upon Strategic Initiatives to uncover appropriate recommendations and potential solutions for Durham’s Education-to-Career system
Continued internal team-building and operational efficiencies
Until next time!
Send us an email: info@madeindurham.org