Interns Leave Ford with Valuable Experience Memories

​DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 3, 2013 - Another group of interns has come and gone but the experiences they had with Ford Motor Company will hopefully last a lifetime.

More than 360 interns spent the summer with Ford working in all areas of the company, from Product Development and Engineering to Information Technology and Purchasing.

In addition to their work responsibilities, they had an opportunity to participate in a Ride & Drive event, visit the Henry Ford Museum, attend a Town Hall with Alan Mulally and take part in a variety of community events. 

“My internship at Ford has exceeded my previous expectations,” said Ellen Cornelius, a Michigan State University student who did her internship in Purchasing.  “Ford’s internship offers challenging projects to each of their interns and provides them with the tools they need to succeed.  Interns are treated not only as full-time employees but are welcomed into the Ford family.”

That feeling of family is what Cornelius says she will remember most about her internship.

“The biggest takeaway from this internship is the relationships I created during my time here,” she said.  “The Ford family is full of caring and motivated individuals who come together to achieve great results.  These relationships are ones that I expect to have for the rest of my life!” 

Jessica Shelby, also a student at Michigan State, did her internship in Product Development.

“I ended up being able to choose between my original project and a different one.  I chose the second option and have learned so much,” she said.  “It’s an exciting project that works with technology that will be deployed sometime in the year 2017 or later.  I was most excited that my project led to a paper we are working on publishing and also a technical report for the Research and Innovation Center library.  I will be remembered for my work here.”

Shelby says she learned a valuable lesson at Ford.

“I learned that hard work will pay off and to keep working at something even if it seems impossible,” she said.  “Through the help of employees and teammates anything can be achieved.”

Eduardo Rondon, a graduate student from the University of Florida studying Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, spent the summer with Product Development in the Body Group.

“Although I had a vague idea of some of the analyses automotive engineers consider when designing a new vehicle, what I found when I arrived at Ford is a level of detail in the designs that previously seemed impossible,” he said.  “When I say that seemingly every single part of the vehicle is studied by someone, it’s not an exaggeration.  It’s mind-boggling.  But I guess that level of detail is what having over 160,000 employees affords you, and it’s what is necessary to produce vehicles that are best in class.”

The internship program at Ford is important because it provides the company with a great resource, according to Tiffani Orange, U.S. Recruiting Strategy.

“Interns are an important source of entry-level talent to Ford,” she said.  “Therefore, we want to make sure we’re providing them with meaningful work assignments and experiences while they’re here with us and that they are strong advocates for Ford when they return to school.”