ACCESS ANN ARBOR
“If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear.”
— Michael Jordan
Access Ann Arbor does not guarantee employment. Employers maintain their own application, qualification, interview, and hiring processes.
EMPLOYER CONNECTIONS
JOB MATCHING
ONGOING GUIDANCE
Your path starts with a conversation.
Every journey is different. Your path is personalized.
01
Let's Talk
Every path starts differently. We begin by learning about your experience, goals, strengths, challenges, and what you’re looking for so we can understand where support would be most useful.
02
Learn and Prepare
From there, based on your needs, you will have access to our practical courses designed around real-life employment challenges, including Better with Money, Time with Purpose, Resume Building & Interview Prep, and Success Coaching.
03
Connect with Opportunities
As you prepare, we help identify employment opportunities that may align with your experience, goals, strengths, and availability. Through our growing relationships with local employers, we provide greater insight into the role, workplace expectations, and what employers are looking for before you take the next step.
04
Stay Supported
Starting a new role can come with challenges, questions, and adjustments. Access Ann Arbor stays connected with structured 30, 60, and 90-day coaching check-ins to help you navigate the transition, work through challenges, and keep moving forward with confidence.
How Access Ann Arbor Supports Employers
✓
WE LISTEN
We take time to understand the specific skills, values, and environment your company needs to thrive.
✓
WE PREPARE
Participants receive practical employment preparation through our online courses and coaching sessions before pursuing opportunities.
Great candidates don’t always check every box.
✓
WE CONNECT
We identify participants who may align with your opportunities and help create a direct connection when there appears to be a strong fit.
✓
WE STAY INVOLVED
Success Coaching continues after hire date through structured 30, 60, and 90 day check-ins to help navigate transition into the workplace.
Access Ann Arbor works with employers to understand hiring needs and connect them with motivated individuals who are ready to work, learn, and grow. By getting to know the people we work with, we help employers discover talent that might otherwise be overlooked.
Employers always make their own hiring decisions.
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
Commonly attributed to Milton Berle
Why Access Ann Arbor Exists
Too often, the difference between potential and opportunity is not talent. It is access. Access to the right information, the right preparation, the right connection, or simply someone willing to help you navigate what comes next.
Access Ann Arbor was created for individuals who are capable, motivated, and ready to move forward, but may not always have a clear path to the opportunities that fit them. At the same time, employers can miss strong candidates when a resume does not tell the full story.
Our role is to help close that gap. We combine practical preparation, employer relationships, and continued support so individuals can approach opportunities with greater confidence and employers can discover talent they might otherwise overlook
Founder
Meet the Founder
Tony Smith II
For Tony Smith, Access Ann Arbor is personal. A father first, entrepreneur, and community builder, Tony understands what it means to work toward something bigger while navigating real-life barriers. His experience has centered on bringing people from different backgrounds together, building meaningful connections, and creating opportunities where they may not have existed before.
Access Ann Arbor grew from that same belief: that talent, potential, and motivation can be found in places that are often overlooked. Tony created the organization to help individuals gain better access to preparation, opportunity, and continued support while helping employers discover strong candidates beyond what a resume alone can show. At its core, Access Ann Arbor reflects Tony’s belief that opportunity should not depend solely on who you know, where you come from, or whether your path has been perfect. Sometimes, people simply need the right connection, the right support, and someone willing to see their potential.
Get in touch
Tell us a bit about how we can help, and we’ll follow up with next steps.