About two years ago, Chanelle and Troy Franklin heard opportunity knock when Stellantis announced it was investing $2.5 billion and creating 5,000 new jobs in the city of Detroit. Their business, the Franklin Safety Group, provides safety training and monitors safety protocols for construction projects. Soon after, they opened their office on Conner Avenue – just blocks away from Stellantis’ new Detroit Assembly Complex – and began working with the various contractors involved in the development of the Mack and Jefferson assembly plants, and they haven’t stopped since.

“We worked on the entire project, from excavation and utility location to all construction in and around the plant,” said Troy Franklin, vice president at Franklin Safety Group. 

It has been a huge opportunity for a small, Black-owned, family-run business like Troy’s. And while they have been able to grow their business, what makes Troy really proud is the way they have grown their workforce. They partnered with the Emerging Industries Training Institute (EITI) to provide Detroit residents a second chance in life with training and certification programs.

“We provide OSHA, safety and heavy equipment (training) to individuals in the EITI program, and then we can employ many of the people we train. And these are good, well-paying positions,” said Troy.

Franklin Safety Group offers several levels of training and certifications. Several people trained through Troy’s team started at $17/hour and can now earn close to $100,000 a year after acquiring additional certifications.

“Our goal is to get as many employees as close to six-figure salaries as possible. We are not just providing training; we are developing careers.”