Benton Crane

Last fall Ford Motor Co. sent some recruiters to BYU where I was in my senior year. One of the positions they were looking to fill was Financial Analyst. I have no experience or training in finance, but I figured my background in economics coupled with my passion for the automotive industry might make up the difference.

I applied for the position and was selected for an on campus interview. It was my first real job interview so I was pretty nervous. It must have gone at least okay because they invited me to Dearborn, Michigan for their recruitment fair (I can’t remember its official name). I was to be 1 of approximately 150 candidates looking to fill a number of different positions.

Upon arrival in Detroit my driver was waiting, sign in hand, for me at the bottom of the escalators–just like the movies! He took me to the Hilton Hotel across the street from Ford Headquarters. The following day was packed with great meals; rigorous interviews; a tour of the F150 final assembly line; and most importantly, Ford’s proving grounds, The Dearborn Development Center.

As a side note, I was introduced to Motor Trend when I was about 12 years old. I read every issue from cover to cover and even saved them all in a big Rubbermaid tub. I told people my dream job would be Motor Trend driver/writer. As I entered Ford’s proving grounds and saw all the next generation vehicles clad in camouflage, I really felt like that dream was about to be filled. Look at this fact list and imagine these things unfolding before my wide, dreamy eyes.

Dearborn Proving Ground facts:

• 360 acres in Dearborn, Mich., with approximately 25 miles of test roads
• First test track is laid in 1938 around Ford Airport runways. It is actively used as an airport until June 1947.
• Tracks include two oval tracks at 2.8 miles around, a straightaway nearly 1 mile long, a Ride and Handling track 1.1 miles around, two hills with 11 percent to 30 percent grades, a wet skidpad and a variety of test surfaces for development of steering, brakes, NVH, ride and handling, powertrain and durability.
• Test vehicles drive approximately 2 million miles per year.
• Grounds include four wind tunnels, cold test rooms, Automotive Safety Center and Crash Barrier, Product Review Center and two vehicle service garages and offices
• Approximately 800 employees
• Gas station supplies specialty fuels for powertrain calibration and emissions certification.

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Shelby GT500

While the tour of the facility was exciting, it just wouldn’t have meant much without some driving. I got three separate rides. The first was a rather boring circuit in a Fusion (I drove). The next was more exciting–a professional driver took me around a more thrilling circuit in an Edge. Finally, I got a helmet and a seat next to a professional driver in a Shelby GT500. The ride he took me on simply cannot be repeated anywhere but on a track. I’m certain that any description I write won’t do it justice. Instead, check out this clip from Fifth Gear. It’s very similar to what I experienced.

In the end I wasn’t offered a job but I think I will always classify that weekend as an experience of a lifetime.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 at 8:23 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.