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Detroit unemployment rate hits lowest mark in 22 years, showing city's recovery Duggan says

By and David Komer online producer
Published  January 5, 2023 8:07pm EST
Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit

Detroit unemployment numbers hit biggest low in 22 years

There are a number of reasons why Detroit has achieved this milestone, city officials said.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - A new year brought good news for the City of Detroit's unemployment numbers.

"When I got elected, the unemployment rate was at 18 percent during May of 2020," said Mayor Mike Duggan. "At the peak of Covid it was 38 percent."

The city’s unemployment numbers are down and Detroiters are at work.

"When the federal government released the statistics showing Detroit’s unemployment rate was under 7 percent for the first time in 22 years, we are starting to see Detroit’s recovery reach everybody," Duggan said.

There are a number of reasons why Detroit has achieved this milestone, city officials said. One big key is that companies are bringing jobs to Detroit.

"We’re about to have two 500 employee plants (LM Automotive) and Lear open in the city," Duggan said. "We’re about to have 1,200 jobs open at Amazon. Ford is about to open the train station."

But the mayor says there is another key reason why unemployment is down.

"Most of the credit comes to the residents of the city themselves," Duggan said.

Residents who are benefiting from the city’s workforce programs like Detroit At Work, which helps create career opportunities for Detroiters and provide employers with access to highly trained talent.

The Detroit at Work team operates out of nine centers, which can be found HERE. It helps residents not only with job training but removing obstacles so they can gain employment.

Shysha Langford found employment through city’s workforce program, she said.

"They made sure all of my boundaries were obsolete," she said. "If I had problems with childcare, they helped me with childcare. If I needed transportation, they helped with transportation. If I needed anything, they were honestly there."

As city officials applaud the progress the mayor says more progress is possible.

"Six-point-four is a step in the right direction but we’re still higher than the rest of the state," Duggan said. "And I'm not going to be satisfied until Detroit’s unemployment rate is lower than surrounding communities."