To continue reading please register or login to your OHW+ account.
Ford is launching a mentoring programme for students, design-ed to help the company recruit the next generation of top managers and improve diversity among senior executives.
The programme aims to enhance the personal and professional development of 30 high-potential undergraduates in their penultimate year of study. It will enable them to draw on the knowledge and experience of Ford managers.
"The mentoring programme is part of Ford's developing diversity recruitment strategy," said Shaheen Akram, Ford's diversity recruitment officer. "We are creating innovative ways of attracting prospective employees from throughout the talent pool, including female and ethnic minority candidates who may not have always considered a career with Ford."
The programme will run for six months between January and July 2003, during which time the undergraduates will receive five days training at Ford locations.
The students will be expected to meet their mentor at least five times during the training period as well as keep in touch with them via the phone and e-mail. They will be invited to Ford's graduate assessment centre as part of the programme.
Managers will provide their students with advice, feedback and with a personal development plan. The undergraduates will be mentored by Ford managers from a number of different business functions including engineering, IT, finance, marketing, purchasing, and HR.
