Father and son: Working together at the Rouge to build a better future

Jul 06, 2023
Jason & Kyle Slatten Click to Enlarge

There’s nothing quite like the bond between a father and his son, especially when they work together.

Kyle Slatten, a welder at the Dearborn Truck Plant, was inspired by his dad to become a welder.

“My dad proved to me he could do anything from carpentry to plumbing, from electrical to mechanical. The one thing he wasn’t good at was welding,” Kyle said. “I saw it as an opportunity to learn the trade myself, hoping one day I could teach him something, like he has never failed to do for me before.”

Jason Slatten, Kyle’s father and a power service leader at Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing Plant, started at Ford in 1999 at Rawsonville while going through an apprenticeship as a toolmaker.  

Jason was reskilled as a power service operator in 2012 when starting a new position at the Woodhaven Stamping Plant. Jason was then moved to DDMP shortly after in 2014 and has been there since.

“Having my son work alongside me is a great joy,” said Jason. “To know he will have an opportunity to work and raise his family like I did and hopefully carry on the family tradition makes all the difference.”

The ability to work alongside each other has given both Jason and Kyle a unique sense of pride and a seemingly endless amount of passion for the work they do every day.

“When my dad hears about me and my work, I want make sure he is proud of what I'm doing and the reputation I am trying to build,” said Kyle.

  • Click to Enlarge
    DSP father and son

The same goes for Raahi Jamil, a Dearborn Stamping (DSP) and Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing (DDMP) financial cost analyst who grew up with a strong fascination for cars and trucks. Raahi remembered noticing, at a very young age, the pride his father had working at Ford, hopeful to understand why his dad was so passionate about his work. He says now that he has joined the Ford Family, he knows why. 

“My dad and I have always been relatively close, but needless to say, me joining the Ford family has brought us closer together,” said Raahi. “I think since we are now both Ford Family members, it has given us a sense of brotherhood.”

Raahi’s dad, Rashed Jamil, a layout dimensional engineer in the Quality Department at DSP, started at Ford in 1998 in the Saline Plant as a Supplier Quality and New Model manufacturing engineer. Rashed shared that, in his 25 years in manufacturing, new challenges arise every day. Those unforeseen challenges make him proud to contribute to the success of DSP. 

Rashed added that, by working alongside his son, they’ve been able to deepen their bond and understanding of each other. 

“We have been able to learn from each other and share ideas and perspectives that we may not have been able to do otherwise,” he said. “It’s been a great experience, and most of all, it makes us proud to be a part of the DSP Team.”

At the Rouge, working with family isn't just about sharing a passion for work, it's also about building a better future for generations to come. Ford is a family company, and the father and son duos at the Rouge are setting an example for the next generation by demonstrating the importance of family bonds and the rewards that come with working together.