Brentwood, Essex, 12th December, 2011 – Ford’s latest intake of graduate trainees used techniques inspired by the popular BBC television show “The Apprentice” to prove out new skills and learning. The young Ford graduates competed head-to-head across a variety of challenges including gathering of sales leads, and even selling vehicles to shoppers, to test their individual skills.
Two teams, each made up of seven Marketing, Sales and Service graduates, who joined Ford this year, were to organise an event aimed at capturing data, increasing footfall and generating sales interest for a local Ford dealership group.
One of the teams, designated “Team Evos” after Ford’s latest concept car, combined an online campaign utilising social media with a one-day event at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex. They set up a temporary stand showcasing an all-new Ford Focus car, a Ford Focus Kinect video game, and videos on current and future Ford products, to engage with over 400 potential customers.
Anthony Ireson, Ford of Britain marketing director, commented: “This Ford competition was aimed at putting our new graduates outside their comfort zones and testing the skills they have learned so far.
“It is the first time that Ford of Britain has run such a challenge, and is testament to our on-going recruitment commitment in the UK, where we directly employ over 15,000 people and indirectly support a further 85,000 jobs.”
The Ford UK graduate programme is one of several Ford employment projects running, including Ford’s apprenticeship programme, Ford vacation trainee placements, Ford business placements, Ford work experience placements and the soon to be launched Ford Blue Oval Scholarship Programme.
