I think that Ford will regret the decisions because of which there are almost no good, experienced engineers here anymore. I hope it won't be too late by then?
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Going into recession/depression will take its toll on new vehicle sales. It is less costly to buy or repair a used vehicle than buy new. ALL vehicle manufacture will need to right size and merge to stay viable as economy of scale will force their hand. Pay off debt, live within your means.
The thing is though, the suppliers are calling the shots and all of the inexperienced Engineer’s take the info and run with it like they dream wheeled it all up themselves. This is why there is room for the inexperienced/under qualified to become “engineers” and be the face of the module and deliver the false reassurance to the higher ups.
JF is a marketer and got his MBA. He couldn't give a damn about us engineers esp in ice power train as it doesn't fit his story of programmers developing subscription apps from the train station. He seems to forget that you have to design and build the car first before adding any additional gingerbread that seems to only resonate with Wall St. Like someone else said, he's all sizzle and no steak.
There is a dire shortage of truly skilled engineers at Ford
Engineers like all skilled people go thru phases
- Category 1: newly minted - think they know more than anyone else
- Category 2: 1-5+ years - are supremely confident they know it all
- Category 3: 10,000+ Hours actual engineering experience with expanding knowledge - realize what they don’t know, become humble and seek to fill knowledge gaps and collaborate
The problem at Ford is that it is very heavy on the first two categories and very light on the last category.
Keep in mind that meetings, bureaucracy and repeatedly doing the same small task do not count towards the 10,000 hours. Some engineers at Ford never approach true engineering competency even after 30 years on the job.
And the kicker is Engineers in Category 1 and 2 cannot see how incompetent they truly are. Only the Engineers in Category 3 are able to realistically assess their own skills and their coworkers skills. Promotions to management happen before competency is achieved, cementing the Ford mediocrity and incompetence.
@1fmo+1haIzz0s I don't see the attitudes communicated here in my day to day work. People are still quite helpful and competent. I just worry for the future as I have seen someone of those people walk out (or shown) the door recently.
Do you see the kind of comments constantly left by employees on here lol. Forget the company, its compensation, and other flaws - no top of industry performing engineer is going to put up with the levels of cynicism and general toxicity in their coworkers.
For the last 5 yrs many of us have been ringing the warning bell of all the quality issues we are seeing today. Hackett and his reductions and promotion of children. Even before the SRD, mgt was told to staff the new programs with FCGs and child new hires so they could be on the 'cool' new programs and keep them happy and jazzed up as 'they are our future". I sat in countless meetings listening and watching them sow the seeds for the incompetent mess we have today. Funny mgt isn't talking about holding people responsible. Nope. Because it would shine a glaring light on their failed idea that these children are not in fact , for no other reason. geniuses just because they are young.
The mid level and newer employees no longer have pensions that tie them to the company. Worse yet, the first ones to leave are always your best employees because they have attractive resumes.
Anyone who watched the EV Town Hall this week knows this. When you have engineers as well as DF asking elementary questions about SDS standards, you know you are in trouble.
@dvk Correct. Funny how Joe was the Explorer launch scape goat and we were told we would never see poor launches like that again. Time to hold Farley accountable.
Farley OWNS all the current failures. He is the CEO and he has been an EXECUTIVE for over a decade.
It is already too late! Check the vehicle sales and recall numbers. The damage is already done. Ford is bleeding customers, and without the F series, cannot make enough dough to keep the lights on.