YOUR CAREER AT FORD

I joined Ford-Werke in September 2013 as a university graduate in the HR department. After completing my master's degree in business administration, I was faced with the challenge of "starting a career". My decision was quickly clear: I already knew exactly what area I wanted to work in and arguments such as quickly taking on responsibility, a permanent employment contract and a comparatively high starting salary spoke in favor of direct entry. And since I had already heard through friends that Ford was a great employer, I applied immediately when they were looking for university graduates without work experience for a direct entry position. With success! And my expectations were met. The induction was on-the-job and my own area of responsibility was waiting for me right at the start. For example, I was able to accompany the introduction of an exciting project and soon after was given my own customer area, which I managed independently. I was also able to take advantage of numerous training and development opportunities, which made it easier for me to start my job. Despite the comparatively high level of responsibility, I never felt left alone or overwhelmed, even as a newcomer. In the meantime, I have a wide network of helpful colleagues at my disposal whom I can approach at any time and who are always there to help and advise me. The fact that a relatively large number of graduates are employed is also a great advantage: the cohesion among us "Gradis" is very great, there are regulars' tables, and you make friends right away - even if you're new to the city.

I started training as an industrial mechanic specializing in production engineering at Ford in 1999. After completing my apprenticeship, I worked for about a year in production assembling fenders on our Fiestas. After that, I left the company to study mechanical engineering full-time at the RWTH Aachen. In 2007, I returned to the company as a graduate engineer - back to the roots!

Since my return, I am already on my fifth position in Manufacturing. In doing so, I have taken on very different tasks for various European plants and vehicle models: Project Management, Plant Design, Layout Design ....

In 2012, I got the opportunity to start as a deputy shift manager in our Ford Fiesta final assembly in Cologne. After two and a half years, I became shift manager and have been part of the management team ever since. Today, as "Team Manager Production Process", I am the direct supervisor of 15 foremen over three shifts and responsible for safety, quality, volume/quantity, processes and primarily for around 500 indirect employees. Every day is different and holds new challenges related to our product and/or my team's concerns!

Looking back, I am thrilled with the confidence Ford and my supervisors have in my abilities. The development opportunities seem limitless to me, which motivates me immensely for my daily work and lets me look forward to an exciting future!

I was already very interested in working in an international environment during my studies and therefore completed two semesters abroad. I find the different ways of working due to cultural differences in particular very exciting. At Ford, I have had the chance to work with colleagues from America, Asia and the rest of the world since my first day at work, which I still enjoy very much today!

After studying mechanical engineering, I started at Ford in 1991 as an engineer in the Powertrain NVH Matching department. Less than four years later, I was offered my first international assignment as department head NVH in Dearborn. Later highlights of my career were the responsibility as Chief Engineer of the global Mondeo program, Head of Pre-Production Vehicles and Innovations and then Chief Engineer Ford Fiesta based in Dunton/UK. Later, my family and I moved to the U.S. headquarters in Detroit, where I was Vehicle Line Director with global responsibility for various vehicle segments. In the meantime, I have been appointed Managing Director "Product Development" for Ford-Werke GmbH in Cologne.

In addition to the many eventful and worldwide business trips, especially the stays abroad were always a very stimulating and exciting time for my family and me. The aim is to reconcile the professional demands in a foreign environment at the same time as the private circumstances, such as the children's change of school, possible language barriers or cultural differences, in as short a time as possible and to learn from the new perspectives. The balance after three stays abroad is consistently positive: We have all experienced a great deal, both as a family and as individuals, and have benefited from the experience. Of course, the employer plays a key role here. The internationality and global networking of the company made these career steps possible for me in the first place.

But even now as Managing Director, I work every day with a wide variety of dedicated employees who are spread all over the globe and who make up the Ford company. It is precisely this spectrum of facets that challenges and promotes the further development of my person. I therefore find my professional life immensely exciting and varied and look forward to being part of the "Ford family" for a long time to come.

I have been working in product development at Ford since 1997. Currently, I am responsible for the "perceived design quality" of the car body interior in one of the earlier development phases.

I have two children and for me the topic "compatibility of family and career” therefore plays an important role.

Like many other fathers, I took parental leave after the birth of our first child - the "classic" version with two months off from work. After the birth of our second child, I opted for the "part-time parental leave" model, because that was simply the best fit for us as a family. I am very happy that this was so easy to realize at Ford. But even now that my parental leave is a little behind me, I really appreciate the fact that I can be there for my family in many places thanks to mobile working and flexible working hours, without my job taking a back seat.

I studied International Business Administration at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences and spent a semester abroad at a partner university in China. Therefore, it was already clear to me during my studies that I wanted to work internationally. I chose Ford as my employer because I was sure that in this large and international company, I would have more opportunities to try things out, learn and develop. I have now been working in the purchasing organization for around six years.

Initially, I purchased elastomers for the European production sites and had purchasing and availability responsibility for "my" production parts from day one. After two and a half years, I switched to program purchasing - project management within purchasing. I learned a lot about cross-departmental project work and supported the earliest purchasing tasks on the new Ford Fiesta.

In 2015, I became aware of a global development program that aims to develop a team of leaders over the long term. Last August, I was accepted into the program. Among other things, I am going through a job rotation across three positions, primarily outside of purchasing, which include an overseas assignment. Throughout the duration of the program, I am accompanied and advised by a mentor (manager) from Purchasing.

I am currently in a position in finance. Here I am not only deepening my specialist knowledge and understanding of internal relationships, but also developing a new perspective on the purchasing organization. In addition, the program promotes cross-functional exchange. I am looking forward to this opportunity and to the challenges that lie ahead.

I value Ford as an employer, especially because employees are given this opportunity for development.

A career at Ford? For sure! I'm currently working as a development engineer in the Safety Electronics and Driver Assistance Systems division, integrating radar and camera sensors into our vehicles. As part of a global development team, I help develop innovative systems, such as the lane departure warning system, which provides greater safety and comfort for our customers.

My career at Ford began in 2002 with a dual study program. In five exciting years, during which I was able to get to know the many different areas of Ford Europe, I completed an apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic specializing in production technology, as well as a degree in mechanical engineering / mechatronics.

The ink on my diploma was not yet dry when I was already managing my own first projects as a development engineer for airbag control units. Thanks to my previously completed internship semester in this specialist department, technology and colleagues were already familiar and the permanent position as a development engineer was the dream job.

Product development is definitely a team sport. Globally networked teams allow me to contribute my ideas and promote the technical exchange necessary to develop global products.

Today, Ford offers me the opportunity to work on future technologies and thus directly shape the future of the automobile. All with the aim of ensuring that our customers reach their destination safely and relaxed.

I studied business administration at the University of Cologne. After completing my studies, I found my career start at Ford in product development in the Program Management department. A year and a half have passed since then. I have learned a lot in the course of very exciting projects and, above all, I have met many nice colleagues.

My job in Program Management involves being in contact with many people from different functions, bringing the entire team together, keeping track of the current project status and reporting this to management. Collaboration plays a very important role in this. Only as a team are we able to successfully reach individual milestones in a project. So far, I have only met helpful people at Ford who are always willing to work towards a common goal.

At the beginning, I found it difficult to understand the countless internal processes and shortcuts. But the friendly and open atmosphere, in which I was signaled that it was desirable to ask questions, made me feel comfortable right from the start. This pleasant working atmosphere made it possible for me to build up a large network in a relatively short time and to develop personally. For my future, I see great opportunities to qualify for new tasks. In my opinion, those who make a special effort and show that they want to take on more responsibility will also be promoted and can take on more responsibility in their own area or in other areas through a change of function.

I work at Ford as an IT business analyst and was initially surprised at how much value is placed on work-life balance. While overtime is rather undesirable, home office and flexible vacation planning are made possible. I appreciate this balance and the many leisure activities, such as sports courses, that the Ford leisure organization offers employees!

I did the dual study program at Ford, specializing in electrical engineering. Now I'm a Bachelor of Engineering and have been with Ford for 10 years.

I work in product development at Ford. I am a project manager in driver assistance system development. My daily work mainly involves project management and the development of software components. Test drives are also part of it, of course. I particularly like the fact that we work on innovative technologies in our team and are very close to the customer: Every day I see cars with my system on board, which helps drivers in many situations.

I am very happy to be employed by Ford. I have a secure job and am perceived as a person, as a personality. I also particularly like Ford's social commitment. I still remember very well a work education seminar during my training: There we built a garden house for a kindergarten in the region. I found the teamwork and the non-technical material very interesting. What impressed me most were the children's beaming eyes when they were allowed to put their sand molds, balls and bicycles in the garden house.

There are also other social projects for which every employee can be released from work by the hour. For example, volunteers are always needed to support dance classes for dementia patients, renovation of daycare centers, blood donation and much more.

I can identify very well with this high level of social commitment, and I am proud to be a part of this community.

I found my way to Ford during my studies when I was given the opportunity to write my final thesis here. As part of this work, I dealt with the topic of diversity management and, while searching for companies that attach great relevance to this topic, I became aware of Ford. As a pioneer of diversity management in Germany, Ford offers a working environment in which every individual - regardless of origin, religion, gender, age, sexual identity, or any disability - can contribute to Ford's success. It is noteworthy that Diversity is primarily driven by the employees themselves. New ideas are developed in the various employee networks, which in turn are implemented in a variety of measures and activities. All of this promotes a culture of appreciation for diversity and difference.

In my role as HR Business Partner, I benefit from this diversity on a daily basis, as working with people from different origins, cultures and backgrounds constantly opens up new perspectives.

At the same time, this colorful environment, which is made up of people from more than 55 nations, gives me the opportunity to apply and further develop my intercultural skills. So, if in addition to an exciting and varied job, you also attach great importance to a positive working environment characterized by diversity and appreciation, Ford is the right place for you.

I started at Ford-Werke GmbH in 2012 after completing my Master of Business Administration with a focus on controlling, taxes, and auditing. I first joined the finance department in product development and recently moved to the engine plant Controllers Office.

What I particularly like about Ford is the many development opportunities. It's common to get the opportunity to change positions every two to three years. The time span of up to three years is optimal to completely go through and understand a job and all the connections and processes. And once you've done that, you get the chance to build on it and move into a completely different area. As a result, it never gets boring, and you can constantly develop and expand your skills and knowledge.

This concept is carried out at all levels - including management. This gives you a very good overall view of all the departments within the division and helps you understand how they correlate with each other, which makes it easier to work together.

The fact that we are integrated into the operational areas, especially in Finance, means that we are very close to the action and don't work "in an ivory tower". Rather, teamwork is the order of the day, and with all other areas, from Development to Purchasing and Production to Marketing & Sales. This constant view "outside the box" brings diversity to my everyday work and allows me to learn something new again and again.

First the school internship to get a taste of what it was like, then training as an energy system electronics technician and then being taken on as a skilled worker in our Fiesta production in Cologne were my first steps about 18 years ago. Here I was able to gain a good insight into production processes and maintenance. From 2005 to 2009, I switched to the permanent night shift to train part-time as a technician in mechatronics. After successfully completing my training, I applied for a position as a Manufacturing Engineer in the Body-in-White Group Staff department: My main tasks included planning and commissioning production systems for body-in-white production at our European plants. Since then, I have been responsible for various vehicle programs in the different project and development phases. A new challenge for me was the global coordination with our colleagues in India, China, and the USA - via e-mail, video as well as audio conferences.

In 2010, I started a part-time industrial engineering degree in production and management. During this time, I simultaneously supervised the project start-up of the Ford S-MAX and Ford Galaxy at the Ford plant in Valencia (Spain). The cooperation with my Spanish colleagues - combined with many business trips and an exciting time on site - was a completely new experience for me.

What excites me about Ford and my job in particular is: the collaboration in internal and global teams, being able to experience projects from development to the finished vehicle and, of course, the personal development opportunities we have as Ford employees within the company.

After graduating with a degree in industrial engineering, I decided to join Ford's Customer Service Division directly as a product planner. Collaboration is essential when planning and introducing new spare parts. Our department is in constant contact with colleagues from all over the world who have very different technical backgrounds. Together as a team, we work to ensure that every Ford built on Europe's roads is optimally supplied with spare parts. Because of the interface function, you quickly get to know how the individual divisions work together. The varied work is a challenge every day and inspires me.

I joined Ford in November 2015 directly after graduating with a master's degree in production engineering. I already had a good experience with Ford during my final thesis in my studies. Today, I work as an engineer in the body shop of the Cologne vehicle plant. This is where the body of the current and future Fiestas is built. The area in which I work is primarily concerned with the planning and implementation of automation solutions and plant maintenance. The constant changes in technology mean that my tasks are always changing and exciting.

I especially appreciate the collegial cooperation and the internationality of the company. After only a short time, I had the opportunity to implement my own projects and quickly got into contact with colleagues as well as with our suppliers all over the world. The responsibility that one is given as a young engineer is great, but thanks to the help and advice of colleagues, I was able to quickly familiarize myself with the topics and tasks.

I like the way Ford supported me as a newcomer in finding contacts within the Group and building up a network. Through various events organized by Ford, I also got to know different areas with which I tend to work less directly. In addition, I had the opportunity to get to know colleagues who had also just started at Ford.

After completing my master's degree in business administration, I was able to gain initial experience in an internationally active management consultancy. When I received the offer from Ford, I decided to go straight for it because I already knew the company and many of my colleagues from my internship. Ford offers exciting fields of activity and interesting perspectives. It is a company that not only formulates its corporate culture, but also lives it. After all, a good working atmosphere and collegial, respectful interaction are just as important to me as career opportunities.

I was able to gain my first experience at Ford in the "European Dealer Operations" department, where I was able to get to know the dealer structures of the individual countries. Currently, I am working on the launch of our new FordPass app together with a European team - "Advanced Consumer Experience Marketing". My tasks are on the one hand very strategically oriented, on the other hand I am responsible for coordinating the roll-out of the app on the German market. I can express my personal strengths in teamwork, while at the same time learning from colleagues in dialog. I'm looking forward to the diverse challenges that lie ahead of me in my career in such a varied company, and I'm excited about the future.

I joined Ford in December 2015 in the Body Interior department. Shortly before that, I had completed two master's degrees, one at RWTH Aachen University and the second at Tsinghua University in Beijing. During my studies, I had found my fun in working with people from all over the world on technical challenges through numerous international projects and stays abroad.

And that's what I'm doing now as a development engineer at Ford. In my department for air conditioning systems alone, people from over ten countries work together. Here, in Product Development, I work with suppliers to develop air conditioning systems for future Ford models. I also have the opportunity to let off steam technically in exciting side projects. There, I'm supported by experts in implementing my own ideas.

For my future, all doors are open at a global company like Ford with its diversity and innovation. I want to play an active role in shaping the automotive industry, and here I have every opportunity to do so.

I studied electrical engineering with a specialization in electronics. I did my Bachelor's degree at the University of Sao Paulo and my Master's degree at the Technical University of Darmstadt.

After finishing my studies, I successfully applied to Ford as a graduate in EESE (Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering). The position was ideal because it gave me the opportunity to work with electronic applications, and moreover in an international context and with products of great relevance to everyday life: cars.

The department gave me a lot of time at the beginning to figure out what topics I wanted to work on. The topic of hardware-in-the-loop seemed extremely attractive because of the technical challenge and the variety of systems. You can learn in depth about how the systems work. I have been working here for about a year now and have had a very good experience. I am part of the team and work as an application engineer on active and functional safety.

What I like most about Ford is the variety of development opportunities. You can develop in the technical area as well as get involved in project management. In my field, there are many interesting projects involving new driver assistance systems such as sign recognition, brake assistance, intelligent cruise control or lighting functions, which require both - project management and technical know-how. The knowledge required for a new job is imparted in training courses or simply "on-the-job" by experienced colleagues.

Seven years ago, I started at Ford in project controlling for the Ford B-MAX. Later, I moved to the global Fiesta program. After that, I managed investment projects for the various plants in Europe. Now I work in Brand Finance, where I create sales forecasts for future vehicle models.

In my tasks, I have met many interesting people and am always part of a motivated, young and international team. The goal-oriented but also relaxed way of dealing with each other and the exciting tasks make me enjoy going to work every morning.