I’m excited to say that I spent my summer working for THE Ford Motor Company. As I head into my senior year of college, I wanted to reflect on how I got here. Working for one of the Big 3 automakers in the US has been a long-time dream. After many interviews, Ford offered me the position of Product Communications Intern.
To say I am stoked is an understatement. I met with the woman who interviewed me, and she introduced me to my supervisor for the summer about a month before my start date. Together they introduced me to my projects for this summer. My official title was Ford Blue Communications Intern.
For now, I’m not going to say much, but I can say I will be working on a project related to the Ford Bronco Sport. My other project involves new vehicle testing technology and equipment. To read more about my adventures with Ford Motor Company check out my other post: My Summer at Ford Motor Company.
So, how did I get here? I can’t give an exact road map that will work for everyone because everyone’s situation is going to be different. However, here is what I did.
When did I realize that the Big 3 was my dream?
In truth, I don’t believe I have ever not wanted to work in the auto industry. The few times I did deviate, I would still roll back around to wanting to work with cars.
It wasn’t until I was 15 that I truly fell in love with cars and the culture that surrounded them. I grew up in the back of V8 Commodores and Utes in Australia. For a while, my dad had a Mitsubishi Lancer that would’ve been mine had we stayed in Australia.
Alas, we did not, and that is when I discovered the sheer size and range that existed in the auto industry. The story of how I got my first Camaro, and why I sold it within 12 months, is a story for a later date. But, I did get that car right around the time that I decided that advertising was where I wanted to be.
What am I studying at school?
While I’m not going to tell you where I’m studying, I will tell you about my collegiate journey. Here’s a hint though, you don’t have to be in an Ivy League school to work for the Big 3.
For my freshman year of college, I attended a school in Indianapolis. A small school (it had the same number of students as my high school) called Marian University. There were 2 main draws to that school. Firstly, they were offering me a partial scholarship to race bikes for them. Secondly, the school and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have a closely related history.
At Marian University, I began to study Communications and planned on a business minor. However, I had decided if I were to stay, I would double major in marketing and communications. This would be a great degree path for those who are looking at a similar career to mine. It combines both the technical side of marketing and the creative side of communications.
Why I left Marian is no fault of their own, but rather I needed to be elsewhere. That is how I ended up at my current school. This new school offers a degree in Advertising and Public Relations through the School of Communication.
I do wonder if a double major wouldn’t have been better. But if I wanted to graduate on time, that wasn’t an option. The other nice thing about this degree is students get the choice between a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Art. I am doing a BS which is more beneficial to me as I take classes in communication research and statistics.
I am also completing a Leadership Certificate as part of my undergraduate education. This aligned better with my goals than any of the minors on offer.
Now the real question here is, how the f*** I ended up doing a communications degree when I knew I wanted to work with cars? There are a lot more obvious choices out there, like a mechanical or electrical engineer. That is not what this post is about though.
What about extracurriculars and outside of school?
I can’t be sure what clubs, sports, or hobbies have helped and which haven’t. My cycling history was definitely a point of interest during my interview with Ford. I will get into detail on my cycling history in another post if you want to read up on that. Other activities outside of school that I like to bring up are my love for traveling… and the fact that I have a 1986 Corvette.
It might surprise you to know that during interviews my Corvette is a hit-or-miss topic. The whole mountain biking thing gets everybody’s attention without fail though.
As for school-related activities, I’ve been in 3 so far other than the cycling team at Marian University. Before I had even started classes at my current school, I joined the Formula SAE racing team. This team builds a race car and competes against other schools at the end of the year to see who built the best vehicle. I was a part of the business team and made this brochure for them to send out to possible sponsors.
The other two clubs I am currently a part of are the Ad Club and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
I have done a lot more than that though. After graduating high school, I joined their mountain bike team as a coach. I had earned my varsity letter from that team, so my friend and I decided to help them out. I also helped out the overarching race organization with a program to encourage more females to join.
What about jobs?
Let me tell you right now, I have had so many jobs it’s not funny. So, I’m going to give you the list of them, in chronological order from first to current.
- Chevrolet Dealership – Service Porter/Parts Driver
- SeaLife Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center – Admissions Host
- AutoZone – Sales Associate
- Sherwin William – Sales Associate
- NAPA Auto Parts – Sales Associate
- General Dynamics Land Systems – Global Communications Intern
- Zoo in the city that my school is near – Events and Rentals Intern
- Daily Deals Food Outlet – Cashier
And of course, this summer I will be working at Ford as a Ford Blue Communications Intern.
There is one job missing from this list. I owned my own small company for about a year. I’m sure that helped, but I never paid myself so it was more of an experience than a job.
Overall, just about everything I have done was because I thought in some way it would help me get to the Big 3. Take everything I say here with a grain of salt. What worked for me might not work for you, and I worked hard to get here. It was not a piece of cake. So if you want a job at the Big 3 or any other large corporate company, be willing to put the effort in. I know everyone says it but it is true.
