The engineering industry is still largely male-dominated. According to the 2016 Annual Report released by the Engineering Council of South Africa, out of the 30 000 professional engineers who registered at the beginning of 2016, only 1 831 of them were women. That’s just 6%.
This is not to say, however, that women engineers aren’t making an impact in the industry. Ford’s Fiona Smith is just one example.
Smith currently holds the position of Director of Quality, Ford Middle East and Africa. She works at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria and has spent the last 19 years making her mark in the world of automotive engineering while moving through the ranks to her current, senior global position.
Smith’s family owned an engine manufacturing business in Coatbridge and Glasgow, Scotland while she was growing up. Although she would occasionally help her Father out in the business, she never imagined she would go on to pursue a career in engineering one day.
Smith’s real interest in engineering began during her high school years, when the time came to consider her future. Much to her family’s disappointment, she chose to pursue a career in engineering over one in law. Smith spent four years in college in Scotland where she obtained a Higher National Certificate in Mechatronics – a combination of mechanics and electronics – in the first year and then went on to pursue a B.Eng. (Hons) Degree in Automotive Engineering.
A scarcity of careers for women in engineering two decades ago meant that Smith was delighted to be accepted into the Ford fold in 1998, accepting a position as a contract worker in the Product Development division. The appointment meant relocating from Scotland to Brentwood, England, a move which Smith readily embraced. From humble beginnings dealing with issues being experienced with the 2.5-litre diesel engine, Smith’s position evolved into that of Future Model Engineer, working on new derivatives of diesel engines under development.
In 2002, Smith transitioned from Product Development to Manufacturing when she secured the position of Senior Quality Engineer at the Dagenham Engine Plant. She spent the next ten years moving around the various engine production lines gaining experience and knowledge in the manufacturing processes, as well as leading the Quality Operating System (QOS). Here, she was part of the team that piloted the new quality initiatives at Ford on a global level.
Smith’s next move was from Manufacturing to Quality within the Critical Concerns Group to become Ford European Union (EU) Specialist in Prevent Recurrence (of quality problems), where she went on to qualify as a Technical Specialist within the Ford Motor Group. In this role, Smith was required to share her knowledge through the training of employees. She trained over 500 employees and teams, before graduating to the position of EU Critical Concerns Manager. Her days were spent investigating, and resolving, potential critical safety issues while providing engineering support to the Office of General Council Team on product liability and litigation cases.
Smith describes her engineering career at Ford as an exciting one and she’s grateful to be part of a company that invests in their employees’ growth and provides opportunities for it to continue. She believes this kind of thinking benefits both the company (as it positively affects staff retention and ensures that the company has the best, most knowlegable employees for the position) and the employees, who are afforded many opportunities to develop within the fields where their interests and expertise lie.
In 2014, an exciting new role was offered to Smith, one she describes as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity". Ford Middle East and Africa were looking for someone, based in South Africa, to set up a Regional Quality Department for this new Ford region. The broad-based cross-functional experience that Smith had built up made her the perfect person for the position. She packed her bags and relocated to the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, South Africa. For the last three years Smith has been sharing her knowledge with her South African peers and gaining even more experience to add to her already impressive CV.
When asked what she loves most about working at Ford, Smith had this to say: "Ford gets into your blood. It is an exciting place in which to work with so many opportunities to learn and evolve yourself if you have the personal drive. I am surrounded by fantastic people and it is inspiring working among them. The employee diversity is a huge plus for me as I enjoy being part of an organisation where everyone is different, but also valued and respected for their differences."
Via: Ford South Africa
