Ford’s women behind the scenes – No longer a man’s world!
Car enthusiasts around South Africa are eagerly awaiting the launch of Ford’s new Mustang. Few realise however, that it is a team of women that have been involved in the development of some of the key aspects of this iconic sports car.
Men have traditionally dominated the automobile industry, but times are changing as more and more women make their mark – succeeding both internationally and locally. At Ford Motor Company there has been a realisation, “that in some cases, the best man for the job is in fact a woman!”
Susan Lampinen, the Group Chief Designer at Ford in the USA has held this title for the past decade and it is her role to oversee the teams of designers who create the interior of each Ford model.
Susan’s area of expertise lies in the touch and feel inside every Ford vehicle, as well as the exterior’s visual appeal. As an art enthusiast Susan is particularly passionate about the use of colour.
“People are surrounded by colour,” Susan says. “And whether they realise it or not, colour helps them connect and form emotional bonds and attractions. At Ford we understand this, and that’s why we place so much thought into the colour ranges a particular model of Ford will come out in.”
Susan is driven by various new challenges every day.
“Balancing creativity with the realities of the automotive industry is interesting,” she says. “It’s an incredibly competitive environment that is always innovating. One of my key internal objectives is to keep energy levels high and inspire a working environment that drives innovation, diversity and new thinking.”
Audio engineer Jennifer Prescott is in charge of creating the sounds that alert you when something isn’t right. From your seat belt not being fastened, to your door being open – these alerts are designed in order to be, “distinctive enough not to be drowned out, yet subtle enough to not become annoying.”
“The science behind vehicle chimes creates an unspoken language between you and your vehicle. Chimes, beeps, buzzes and other audible alerts are your car’s way of speaking to you,” says Jennifer.
Ford South Africa’s Victoria Machete is also making her mark in the traditionally male-dominated industry. Victoria Machete works at Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria. Starting her career with Ford in 2003 as an operator fitting mirrors on the trim line, at only 32 years of age she is now a highly skilled Material Planning and Logistics (MP&L) launch engineer. Tasked with developing the strategy and plans to launch overlapping MP&L programmes.
Her experience lies heavily in the launching of new models on the factory floor. She has played a vital role in delivering change management processes to ensure stability, support and drive change within manufacturing.
“Change is a tricky thing that makes many people uncomfortable but in a factory within an industry that is ever-changing in terms of technology, customer demand and fierce competition, change is paramount and if managed properly can result in great returns,” says Machete.
Women throughout Ford Motor Company are driving the motor industry into the next phase of exciting engineering and technological advancements.
It’s no longer just a man’s world.