Henry Ford Health Helps Detroit Reach Record Employment Numbers

DETROIT -- The number of Detroiters working in the City is at its highest point in 13 years, according to Mayor Mike Duggan, who touted Henry Ford Health’s role in reaching the record employment numbers during a news conference on Monday, Nov. 14 at the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion. 

Duggan touted the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report, which showed 237,099 Detroit residents were working in September. More than 3,500 of those residents are Henry Ford Health team members working at more than 80 locations in the City including Henry Ford Hospital, Henry Ford Medical Center New Center One and the One Ford Place.  

“Henry Ford has been a part of our incredible Detroit community for more than a century, and ensuring we are providing exciting, ample and meaningful job opportunities to our neighbors is so very important to us,” said Henry Ford President and CEO Bob Riney. “As we prepare to embark on our most significant investment yet, our Future of Health: Detroit development, we can’t help but get excited about the hundreds of jobs the projects will bring for Detroiters – setting us up for continued progress in community employment.”  

Since 2019 Henry Ford has hired approximately 185 Detroiters through Detroit at work, the City’s job training and recruitment program. Detroit at Work connects job seekers and employers by connecting individuals with services and preparing them for new careers across in-demand industries. The City partners with major employers to hire large numbers of Detroiters.  

Duggan said the city’s high employment figures is attributed to attracting major employers such as Stellantis, Amazon, Majorel and Detroit at Work’s ability to prepare the city’s workforce.  

“We know that the care and coverage we provide is only a fraction of what individuals need to achieve true health and well-being,” said Gwen Gnam, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Care Services at Henry Ford. “We play a critical role in removing barriers to opportunities and achieving equity for all. Our team members are a crucial part of the communities that we serve.”  

Voncile Conrad and five other Henry Ford team members hired through Detroit at Work appeared alongside the mayor at the news conference. 

Conrad said she bounced from job to job in industries such as finance, manufacturing and customer service as employers eliminated jobs or relocated to places with unaffordable costs of living. Two weeks after connecting with Detroit at Work, she landed an interview at Henry Ford.    

“I was offered a job on the spot and the rest is history,” said Conrad, who now works as a clinic services representative. “The job security – I love that. I’m happy to be here. I’m excited to see where I can go. I’m happy to be home and to find someplace where I can grow and gain more skills.” 

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MEDIA CONTACT: mediarelations@hfhs.org