Careers in automotive & industry

The automotive and industry sector offers a strong selection of well-recognised graduate programmes, international career paths and some very glamorous products!

One reason for the enduring popularity of a career in the automotive industry is the leading role car manufacturers have taken in offering international career paths for young graduates. Adam Opel, for example, offers international experience from the outset, at its technical development Centre in Ruesselsheim in Germany and within its European Business Team. European graduates from any country can work in Germany for nine months, followed by a permanent placement in Germany, or elsewhere in Europe. With the increasing close trade ties between European countries and the near arrival of the Euro, such progressive graduate schemes are very popular.

Audi, DaimlerChrysler and BMW also offer young international management programmes. Senõr As was a Spanish Mexican Engineer who joined Daimler’s internationalgraduate intake in Mannheim. A year later, he was posted to North America for three years and then to Spain. Corinna Bosmann studied at Nottingham University in the UK where she received an MBA at the age of 24, after which she joined a DaimlerChrysler training programme in Stuttgart. Audi’s graduate programme offers similar opportunities.BMW have also started actively marketing their flexible employment structure for women who may want to interrupt their careers to have children. BMW guarantee a job at the same level as at the time of departure, no matter how long is spent out on maternity leave.
Such attitudes to graduate recruiting are very positive developments, but where is the industry heading in the next few years and what opportunities are available?Richard Smith, Head of Marketing and Sales Excellence, is a Ford veteran of 27 years. He believes that the globalisation of industries and consumer attitudes are creating enormous opportunities for graduates in the industry.They have developed seven guiding strategies.

empowered people
process leadership
product excellence
lead in corporate citizenship
low cost production
world wide growth
lead in customer satisfaction.

Mr Smith says: “We are well advanced in implementing these strategies.For example, we already have world wide purchasing and, in design, we have simplified product platforms by around 50 per cent while massively increasing the number of product variances. Soon we will have order to delivery, so that a customer can specify all the features of the car they want in the show room and we will build it and deliver it to order within fourteen days! All these developments and the many more to come provide huge scope for creative and technical input from our young managers.” At Opel’s Technical Development Center, graduates are involved in designing and developing cars to be sold throughout the world. Mechanical, electrical or automotive engineering graduates will gain valuable production experience as well as design. There are also opportunities in manufacturing, quality assurance and electronics.

via: topmba