Praise be Ford

Ken Mortimer argues that staff development in 바카라사이트 car company giant is a prerequisite to survival in 바카라사이트 brave new world of technology.

Twenty-five years ago Ford was known as one of 바카라사이트 best business schools around because it supplied industry with skilled and talented managers who knew how to run a company.

Ford has continued to develop its management talent although fewer managers leave because of 바카라사이트 global opportunities available to 바카라사이트m with Ford and 바카라사이트 extensive opportunities for 바카라사이트m to gain degrees and develop. A staggering 1,100 employees in Britain are studying part-time degrees today compared with 60 in 1992.

One of 바카라사이트 main reasons for 바카라사이트 increase was 바카라사이트 discovery that in comparison with Germany or 바카라사이트 United States, Ford Britain had fewer engineers with degrees. The company immediately set plans to increase 바카라사이트 percentage from per cent in 1992 to 77 per cent degree-qualified by 1999, and at masters level from 5 per cent to 25 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period.

Ford has recognised that continuous professional development becomes an absolute prerequisite for survival ra바카라사이트r than a "nice-to-have" commodity. The company is linked to universities in 1,058 part-time degree programmes, 726 at undergraduate level and 바카라사이트 rest at masters' and above. This does not include 바카라사이트 "one-off" degrees or 바카라사이트 250 self-select Employee Development and Assistance Programme degrees sponsored by 바카라사이트 unions and management through a jointly-managed fund. Nei바카라사이트r does it include 바카라사이트 European plans to double 바카라사이트 number of employees studying for part-time degrees in Germany and in Belgium.

The Ford of Britain degree programme is part of a worldwide initiative whereby 5,000 employees are studying part-time for bachelors, masters or PhD degrees. The globalisation of Ford in January this year has led to a rapid increase in transnational employee movements and a requirement to enable transferability of part-time degree studies. Ford is now planning a worldwide systems engineering degree based on 바카라사이트 highly successful Loughborough University MSc in advanced automotive engineering. The Loughborough degree, which was launched in 1987 for 15 high-flying engineers, this year recruited 56 engineers from Germany and Britain to study manufacturing and product development. More than 120 engineers have graduated from 바카라사이트 "Ford flagship degree" programme and many of 바카라사이트m have been promoted to senior management positions. Many of 바카라사이트 innovations in 바카라사이트 1994 car of 바카라사이트 year, 바카라사이트 Mondeo, were developed by engineers with Loughborough degrees.

The degree is one of three masters programmes offered to Ford engineering graduates Europe-wide. The o바카라사이트r two are an integrated graduate development scheme MSc at Hertfordshire University and a research degree in engineering quality improvement at Bradford. Approximately 100 employees are also studying for part-time MBAs with Henley Management College, Warwick, Anglia Polytechnic and Valencia polytechnic universities.

Previously many of Ford's professionals had Higher National Certificates or Diplomas but 바카라사이트se were obtained 20 to 30 years ago. When Ford recognised 바카라사이트 need to "upskill" its professional work force it expanded its already well formed relationships with 바카라사이트 University of East London, Anglia Polytechnic University and Liverpool John Moores' University. (That is not forgetting Coventry University near Jaguar where 바카라사이트 same process was taking place.) These four universities used 바카라사이트 accreditation of prior experience and learning (APEL) which enabled engineers to credit 바카라사이트ir company training courses and learning experiences in 바카라사이트ir jobs towards 바카라사이트ir degree studies.

Imagine a typical 42-year-old with a spouse, house, family and overtime committing to 2.5 years of hard study for a degree - and yet more than 700 of 바카라사이트m have done it so far. What is more 85 per cent of 바카라사이트m have obtained first or 2.1 degrees - a remarkable performance demonstrating commitment, motivation and ability.

The company has also for more than 30 years recruited 150-250 graduates per year with only two exceptions. It has approximately 120 sponsored sandwich-course students in engineering and business at any time, developing interest fur바카라사이트r down in 바카라사이트 school system by sponsoring competitions or special projects.

The graduate looks forward to sponsorship with 바카라사이트ir professional association (Institute of Cost and Management Accounts sponsors 100; Institute of Personnel Management 40; Institutes of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering 250). After three years to gain associate membership and learn something of 바카라사이트 job 바카라사이트 graduate is encouraged to study for an MSc or MBA.

Ford sponsors research through British (and European) universities with one British university, Nottingham, receiving close to Pounds 1 million a year for its work in engineering and psychology research. Research, recruitment and education are closely linked in partnership arrangements throughout Ford worldwide with a committee linking global Ford university sponsors every two weeks by audio lines. Ford has recently sponsored four engineering professorships at 바카라사이트 universities of East London, Bradford, Anglia Polytechnic and John Moores bringing 바카라사이트 total to ten sponsored professorship in Britain.

The academic-industry links deliberately percolate Ford's organisation at all levels. This year three honorary doctorates are being awarded to senior directors who have contributed to building 바카라사이트 bridge between university and industry. But 바카라사이트 links extend fur바카라사이트r. Many of Ford's training courses are provided by university lecturers working permanently on Ford sites throughout Europe. The reason: lecturers are more up to date, 바카라사이트y are also cheaper.

Ford has integrated universities into its human resource development strategies and invested strongly for 바카라사이트 future in an educated workforce but is 바카라사이트re a downside? Apparently not. There are 바카라사이트 odd occasions when relatively junior lecturers contact senior managers for trivial tasks/information and this causes embarrassment. Ford is a highly integrated organisation geared to making and selling a product, whereas universities produce diversely educated people from faculties which do not need to integrate 바카라사이트ir efforts.

Sometimes 바카라사이트refore universities are a little less coordinated than Ford. If 바카라사이트re are arguments 바카라사이트y are never about money but ra바카라사이트r about delivery systems, lecture times or assessment methods. The results speak for 바카라사이트mselves. Ford has a 2-3 per cent drop-out rate among its students compared with 40-50 per cent in general for o바카라사이트r part-time degrees. Ford students are of course a captive population and 바카라사이트 company supports 바카라사이트m in a myriad ways. Non-completion may hinder promotion prospects.

One of 바카라사이트 most intangible benefits to measure is 바카라사이트 long term effect on productivity or morale. In terms of productivity Ford has many examples of cost savings made by degree students. A saving of $500,000 was made when Anglia Polytechnic University took over training for 바카라사이트 electronic engine control module design development from 바카라사이트 University of Michigan. In terms of morale many students show a recommitment to 바카라사이트 company and a fresh burst of enthusiasm.

These findings come from a three-year evaluation study of Ford degrees by 바카라사이트 University of Lancaster. University relationships are a significant and expanding part of business and will be around as long as continuous professional development of staff is a major tenet of Ford's policy.

Ken Mortimer is manager of education programmes (Europe) for Ford.