Pupils from Alexandra high schools were among a select number of 75 pupils that attended the annual Ford Careers Day in Pretoria.
Hosted by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa at its assembly plant in Silverton, the Careers Day included grade 11 and 12 pupils from Alexandra and Mamelodi high schools who were bused in to gain information regarding the various career opportunities available to them in the motor industry.
“Careers Day is hosted with the aim of helping pupils make their tertiary education application process much easier by giving them valuable insights into the numerous opportunities available in the motor industry,” said Ford president and CEO Jeff Nemeth.
The pupils spent the day familiarising themselves with the operations at the Silverton plant and were presented with practical information on different career paths offered within the automotive industry.
These career opportunities included a diverse range of specialist fields in marketing, finance, human resources, purchasing, customer services, product development, manufacturing and many more. Instructors from the company’s Driving Skills For Life (DSFL) were also on hand to offer valuable advice to the pupils as they prepare to take to the roads in the future.
Nemeth said the driving programmes generally available in South Africa tend to have a performance bias where they are either designed to promote the performance of a specific vehicle brand, or are marketed as a leisure or lifestyle activity.
“What sets DSFL apart is that it is applicable to all South African drivers, no matter their age or the type of car they drive, and has the three benefits of safety, fuel efficiency and environmentally conscious driving – the latter having been overlooked in South Africa for far too long.”
“At Ford we’re committed to investing in the future of young people in South Africa. The Careers Day programme is evidence of our aim to invest in the development of skills both on the roads and in the office,” Nemeth added.
