Ford
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is the longest established car manufacturer in Australia, as well as one of the largest. Ford is also the only Australian manufacturer to wholly design, develop and build a range of vehicles locally.
In Australia, Ford employs over 5,000 people, while their global workforce is over 350,000 strong.
Reduced import tariffs on new vehicles meant that the automotive market was going to burden some intense competition. Ford recognised that in order to maintain a leading position in the competitive automotive industry, it needed to invest in its only truly long-term, sustainable competitive advantage — its people. It was vital for Ford to foster a culture that values, develops and empowers its workforce and results in a high-performing organisation.
Ford had limited learning and development (L&D) resources internally and services were provided by a range of suppliers without checks for consistency or alignment to the organisation’s business objectives.
The recognition of the need for an integrated, tactical and consistent L&D function saw the scope of the existing services provided to Ford expand to a more strategic structure, culminating in the formation of the Ford-Deakin Learning Alliance (The Alliance) in 2001.
The Alliance is a strategic partnership formed with the goal of leveraging DeakinPrime's world-class L&D consultants and cutting edge resources to provide a single source of superior, integrated and cost effective L&D solutions. DeakinPrime developed a comprehensive L&D platform designed to improve the competency of Ford Australia employees to enable delivery of the organisation’s business plan.
The Alliance sees DeakinPrime personnel embedded within the Ford organisation and responsible for the management of a wide range of L&D services, whether provided by DeakinPrime, Deakin University or third party suppliers.
The DeakinPrime education and training solution at Ford comprises a range of innovative education programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, personal and professional development programs, leadership programs and coaching services. The overall aim of the programs delivered is to encourage and develop Ford employees to lead at all levels and to behave like business owners. The tailored programs seek to do this by engaging employees on a strategic level, encouraging them to take ownership of the business vision and teaching them to be more results-oriented.
A Learning Alliance Governance Committee that convenes quarterly, measures The Alliance periodically against a variety of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Since the formation of The Alliance, Ford has identified a range of benefits, improvements and cost savings associated with the effective development of its people. These include:
- An increased awareness among management and Human Resources teams of the strategic role of L&D initiatives and their impact on the achievement of business goals.
- Appropriately designed L&D initiatives for specific departments based on comprehensive needs analysis.
- A reduction in time spent by L&D staff in sourcing, managing and administering programs and providers.
- A reduction in the duplication of tasks associated with L&D activities.
- Increased information sharing across all functions.
Qualitatively, Ford’s renewed focus on the development of its people through the Alliance with DeakinPrime has resulted in a development of individuals’ skills, which are aligned to both personal goals and those of the organisation, and an increase in employee motivation.
The workforce are valued, are more loyal, appreciative and perform better, consequently improving their employer’s competitive advantage in the face of an increasingly competitive market.
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