Ford Graduate Program

[jason_85]

Just wondering who out there applied for the ford grad program and what part you applied for?

I applied the other day for an engineering position....

[pertuan]

I applied 5 years ago for an Engineering position. They didn't even bother sending a rejection letter. lol Ah well, I'm happy where I am now.

[jason_85]

hahaha yeah i dont expect to get it but you have to be in it to win it!!!

I have applied for a fair few grad positions so i will see what happens.

Is there and if not, it might be a good idea to have a Job Advertising Section on the forums......

[pertuan]

Yeah, whats the worst that can happen? Nothing to lose and everything to gain. Thats what I say. Good luck though. I got a mate who got in the Ford Grad Program and he loves his job.

[XRated]

Yeah I applied for an IT position. I doubt anything will come from it though... I only say that because I have a friend who has done his honors, has good marks and teaches classes at Uni and he isn't even getting invited to first-round interviews!

[jason_85]

Originally Posted by XRated

Yeah I applied for an IT position. I doubt anything will come from it though... I only say that because I have a friend who has done his honors, has good marks and teaches classes at Uni and he isn't even getting invited to first-round interviews!

It hasnt closed yet though has it?

[Polyal]

I did the co-op not that long ago, it was awesome.

Ive still got about 1.5 years to go, and then ill apply for it.

Good luck guys, its a good experience.

[jason_85]

Originally Posted by Polyal

I did the co-op not that long ago, it was awesome.

Ive still got about 1.5 years to go, and then ill apply for it.

Good luck guys, its a good experience.

What degree are you doing??

[Polyal]

Bach of Mech Eng and Commerce..its taking to bloody long thats for sure!

I remember when I did the co-op there was someone from far QLD, so you location means jack.

[xurbanx]

If you're in your final year, can you apply? Or can you only apply when you've graduated?

[davocol]

I did a c-oop year there and had a great time, went for the grad position but did not get it. Still to this day, I am not sure what I did wrong. I know FCAL stay clear of people with high marks as they generally find the job boring and leave within the the first 12 months

Originally Posted by XRated

Yeah I applied for an IT position. I doubt anything will come from it though... I only say that because I have a friend who has done his honors, has good marks and teaches classes at Uni and he isn't even getting invited to first-round interviews!

[jason_85]

Originally Posted by xurbanx

If you're in your final year, can you apply? Or can you only apply when you've graduated?

Nah you apply while your in your final year and would prob start early 2008

[jason_85]

Originally Posted by davocol

I did a c-oop year there and had a great time, went for the grad position but did not get it. Still to this day, I am not sure what I did wrong. I know FCAL stay clear of people with high marks as they generally find the job boring and leave within the the first 12 months

Co-Op?? I am assuming this is like a 4.5 yr degree and you do 6 months placement?

Our university requires 12weeks vacation employment with a 4 yr degree ... is this the same thing?

[Polyal]

co-op is 12 months...I was lucky and got it extended just a tad.

Co-op is hard enough to get into, grad is even harder.

[davocol]

It's actually a full year of placement done in your second last year of uni, it extends your course by a year with a full year of work experience. HIGHLY reccomend it, basically means you can walk into a corporate job and not do a grad program.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by davocol

It's actually a full year of placement done in your second last year of uni, it extends your course by a year with a full year of work experience. HIGHLY reccomend it, basically means you can walk into a corporate job and not do a grad program.

ohhhh...

True in a sense, but if you want to go back to Ford then you still have to do the grad.

You would be insane to knock it back, looks good on the resume.

[jason_85]

oh ok

experience is where its at, only prob is trying to get experience is hard!!!!! Our vac employment is just 12 weeks in the chrissy holidays, paid and everything but is definately very hard to get!

[Powdered Toast Man]

I unsuccessfully applied twice for both the Co-op and Grad programs for mech engineering. The first time I applied for the grad program was straight after uni and the second a couple of years later when I was looking to change jobs. Never received a rejection notification for either time. Got the rejection letter for first time I applied for the co-op position about 4 months after the job would have started, which would have been about 6 months after applying. What a joke!

The second time the application went much better but things didnt work out because of the circumstances at the time. I still remember one of the intervewers, an American, asking me my opinion on why the AU was a flop and me telling her its because it was styled like the Taurus and not to Aussie tastes. She didn't think it was but the other interveiwer, an aussie agreed with me. I think she was management with a sales background or something but the guy came from an engineering background. Shows it's not the always the engineers who get it wrong. I should note that this was way back in 2001.

Originally Posted by davocol

I know FCAL stay clear of people with high marks as they generally find the job boring and leave within the the first 12 months

That means I should have been a shoe in lol.

[SiKoRa_eL_97]

Anyone have ideas on what questions they ask you?

[jason_85]

Prob just the usuals....

Why do you want the job?
What do you think you can bring to the company?
Name a time when you have been working in a team with conflict and what you did to get through it?

etc etc

[HLC]

a bloke from my uni got picked up by Ford in this program in 05. hopefully when i graduate next year, with Honours :P (Industrial Design) Ford will consider me too :P

[zetec]

Number one to ANY job interview or program interview is to be yourself. Biggest mistake anyone can ever make is to try and be who you think a company wants to you be. You want to get any job based on your abilities and how you suit the job and not on who they think you might be, because it won't take to long determine that you're not really who they think you are, neither good for any company nor good for your own career development to be in the wrong job.

I know plenty of Co-Ops and Grads from outside Melbourne, from as far away as Perth, there aren't any rules against particular states.

Just be yourself in anything like this, that's the key.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by zetec

Number one to ANY job interview or program interview is to be yourself. Biggest mistake anyone can ever make is to try and be who you think a company wants to you be. You want to get any job based on your abilities and how you suit the job and not on who they think you might be, because it won't take to long determine that you're not really who they think you are, neither good for any company nor good for your own career development to be in the wrong job.

I know plenty of Co-Ops and Grads from outside Melbourne, from as far away as Perth, there aren't any rules against particular states.

Just be yourself in anything like this, that's the key.

Thats the best advice.

They put you through a bit during the group stuff, but its not hard. My advice would be to make your opinion known, but do not shoot down others. If there is an issue, try and be the mediator etc etc. Just be nice basically..LOL

I actually told them straight up in the last interview stage that I know my marks werent the best, but I had/have a passion for the company and that its something that I always wanted to do.

I cant wait to apply for grad, and if that doesn't work out then oh well, more money in mining anyway
:

[zetec]

And to answer the question, I applied for Marketing & Sales.

[bob^]

A bloke I went to uni with(until I dropped out) ended up doing the graduate thing, he got a job out of it too there.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by bob^

A bloke I went to uni with(until I dropped out) ended up doing the graduate thing, he got a job out of it too there.

Well the graduate thing pretty much is a job. Only difference is they move you around.

You would have to stuff up pretty majorly to not get a job after the graduate years are done.

[XR6TickfordBoy]

Applied for Marketing/sales position, applications closed yesterday. U guys have all got me worried now! If I can just get the first interview I think my personality and knoweledge could get me close. I have found it hard applying for other grad positions as most other companies don't seem to have a grad section dedicated for next year but job listings and none of them are marketing/sales or in Victoria!

[Polyal]

Mate whats stopping you from staying in VIC? Move around, see what else is out there; dont stop yourself from getting a job you might like just because its interstate.

[jason_85]

Well i got an sms today saying i Ford Aus would like me to complete an online assesment/quiz!

1hr Later!!! Very happy i have progressed though

Anyone else done the quiz yet? What did you think?

[Nashy86]

Originally Posted by jason_85

Well i got an sms today saying i Ford Aus would like me to complete an online assesment/quiz!

1hr Later!!! Very happy i have progressed though

Anyone else done the quiz yet? What did you think?

congrats mate

I did a co-op year last year, was FANTASTIC and when I graduate I'll probably apply for the grad program.
while I was there I spoke to a guy who does a lot of interviewing for the grad program, he says that often co-op are told by their old managers that they will definitely get the job, so they go to the interview and don't put the same effort in as others, and the people interviewing them have no idea who they are, so they get rejected. You get accepted or rejected based on your interview alone, because thats all the interviewers know about you.
He said its important to know about the car industry as a whole (they may ask questions about this) rather than just Ford. A few years ago they had an applicant (ex co-op) who knew EVERYTHING about Ford, but thought the Commodore was built by Mutsubishi when they asked him.........he was rejected

I'll be looking for a position as a mechanical engineer in manufacturing, I'm hoping that my coop year will help, but between now and then (I graduate in 2.5 years) I'm working for another engineering company in manufacturing, where I get exposure to heeps of other companies manufacturing things from egg cartons to house insulation to baby's nappies. I'm hoping this extra experience will put me over the edge if I apply for Ford.