Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth. Careers in Manufacturing: Michigan focus on automotive, aerospace, nanotechnology and computer careers.
So you want to make a car ... Tour the DaimlerChrysler Sterling Heights Assembly Plant
and see how jobs in a modern manufacturing plant now require complex
talents, specialized skills, and continuous training. Created by WebINK
and funded by Academic Outreach at the University of Michigan.
So you want to make a car ... Here's your chance to
design your very own car
company. Created by WebINK and funded by Academic Outreach at the
University of Michigan.
Careers in New
Manufacturing from Gettech.org sponsored by the National Association
of Manufacturers.
What is an Automotive Engineer?: The term Automotive Engineer
is sometimes loosely used to refer to any engineer who works in the
design and manufacture of automobiles. The U.S. Department of Labor
Dictionary of Occupational Titles classifies automotive engineering
as a sub-specialty of mechanical engineering. 007.061-010 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS develop
improved or new designs for automotive structural parts, engines, transmissions,
suspension systems, and associated equipment. They may also direct the building,
modification, and testing of vehicles.
American Society of Engineering Education. Engineering
Your Future: Learn about the different engineering and engineering
technology fields.
Discover
Engineering Online: So what is engineering This whole site is meant
to help answer that question. Also lists famous engineers.
DAPCEP - Detroit
Area Pre-College Engineering Program: A Detroit-based private nonprofit
corporation which motivates and prepares minority youth to pursue careers
in engineering, science, and mathematics. DAPCEP is the largest
pre-college engineering program in Michigan.
Automotive designers work with the "look" or styling of a car. They
prepare perspectives sketches and renderings, develop 2D and 3D mock-ups
of proposed designs, and follow the design process through to the final
release of the clay model. While designers are not responsible for planning
the mechanical details or electrical components, they must have a basic
knowledge of engineering principles and also be familiar with the production
capabilities of the manufacturer.
Be aware that the word "design" appears in many auto industry job
descriptions and more often than not refers to something other than
creative or conceptual design work. The word "design" appears frequently
in mechanical and electrical engineering job descriptions. Many young
people, once exposed to the full range of auto industry career opportunities,
go beyond their early fascination with styling and drawing cars and
find careers in engineering designing the various vehicle systems.
A degree in industrial design will greatly improve your chances of
entering the field, and prepare you to work on a team of "creative"
or "conceptual" designers lead by a manager responsible for the overall
design. Beginning designers usually contribute work on smaller sections.
Automotive design, or transportation design as it is sometimes called,
is part of the broader field of industrial design.
Industrial design programs specializing in transportation design are
offered by the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and by
the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena,
CA. These two schools appear to consistently receive recognition and
support from the auto companies. Pratt Institute in New York, the University
of Michigan, and the Cleveland Institute of Art are also frequently
recommended by industry professionals. All of these schools are very
competitive. For a fuller list of colleges and universities with industrial
design programs, refer to the IDSA list
of schools with industrial design programs.
Refer to the Core77
Industrial Design Magazine site if you are interested in looking at the portfolios
of ID students from all over the world. Enter the search term "automotive" in the
keyword search box
to quickly pick out the automotive portfolios.
Conceptual talent is highly prized by the autos. Be prepared to be
hired directly out of college and then work your way up. On the management
level, experienced "big idea" people are sometimes recruited from the
outside. The automakers do make use of industrial design and product
development services firms. The suppliers also make use of these
firms.
Automotive Design is a highly competitive field. You must love cars.
You must also love drawing and be fairly good at it even though designers
don't spend all of their time drawing cars. Computer skills have become
very important to auto designers. Digital design technologies continue
to revolutionize the vehicle design process. Products like Alias from Autodesk provide powerful applications that
enable communication, collaboration, and visualization of the entire product development process.
Alias is used extensively by GM designers and sculptors for conceptual modeling,
rendering, animation, visualization and surface development.
Take a look at the resume of Nicki Kwee, a successful young automotive designer.
Historically, the automotive companies have off and on shown interest
in recruiting women designers. See Damsels of Design
from the Association of Women Industrial Designers.
Web CG Car Graphic: Print version available at Detroit Main
Library, National Automotive History Collection (NAHC). Non-Circulating
629.X2222 C1755
Auto
& Design: Print version available at Detroit Main Library, National
Automotive History Collection (NAHC). Non-Circulating 629.x26A9
Ford Motor
Company Careers: Learn about the Ford work environment, career programs,
and recruiting schedule; search the Ford Job Bank.
General Motors Careers: Find out about career opportunities
and preparing for those careers, job fairs, and internship programs.
Online self-assessment exercise allows you to see where you might fit
in the company. Students interested in internships can submit resumes
online.
Chrysler Careers: Career program information for
college students, college graduates, experienced professionals, skilled
trades workers, general labor, and apprentices.
Manufacturing
Is Cool: Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Curricula resources,
scholarship sources, college info., tours, competitions, books and videos,
games, and displays.
JETS - Junior Engineering
Technical Society: Provides activities, events, competitions, programs,
and materials that involve students with engineers and demonstrate what
engineers do. JETS has combined with EngineeringNET for expanded offerings.