Ford holds job fair so other companies can hire their people

While General Motors held a job fair a couple of weeks ago to hire 400 more engineers and technicians, Ford just held one for companies looking to hire some of the thousands of people that they've let go in recent months. To be fair, GM bought out thousands of employees last year as well, and they've also been providing assistance to help them find new jobs.
Ford screened potential employers in the fair to make sure they were hiring immediately and also offering jobs at pay levels close to what the ex-Ford employees were getting. Ford had originally intended for the fair to only be open to ex-Ford employees but because of the poor economy in Michigan, decided to open it to all comers. The morning was restricted to Ford people while anyone was welcome in the afternoon. About 10,000 people were expected to attend the event in Dearborn.
[Source: Detroit News]












Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
AdrianM 5:48PM (5/20/2007)
Aww, that's so sad.
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Seminole 6:44PM (5/20/2007)
It's nice to see that Ford is trying to help not just their employee's but the surrounding area.
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Kurt 6:51PM (5/20/2007)
I guess the next logical step is for Ford to bring back the $5 a day workday...
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Brian 6:55PM (5/20/2007)
Thats the difference between American car companys and the others. The other ones will just hand you a pink and say tuff s__t. Don't let the door hit you in butt.
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Sandeep 7:36PM (5/20/2007)
@4: Do you have ANYTHING to back that up? Sure, we know that Ford is helping out this time but is that the same as helping all its fired employees? Do you know that the other companies don't do the same?
I personally agree that this is nice, but such an unfounded statement as yours is too much.
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Brian Dreggors 8:12PM (5/20/2007)
Sandeep,
Brian is correct. Most other companies give you pink slip and the quickest route to the door when downsizing while not giving a crap about your future employmnet. This is a nice move by Ford to help with job placement, something most small- and midsized corporations would never do.
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Brian 9:05PM (5/20/2007)
Yes I do #5. I'm also talking about other manufacturing plants too besides auto plants. We had an A/C plant where I used to live. One day when the workers showed up for work, the plant was closed with just a small sign in the front to tell the workers that they were out of work. I have known a couple of people in an auto plant near where I used to live too. The moral is was very low there. They told me one time a couple of corporate people were doing a walk through. They were checking some of the people on the line. They asked a one worker a few questions about something. It was only his second day so he told them that and he was still in training. They fired him that day. I just think that the American 3 have alot more morals than most.
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bathtub gin 11:43PM (5/20/2007)
I have been thru two mergers, and this is SOP in my business. The company hires an outplacement firm who helps the soon-to-be displaced employees with resume writing, interview skills, and job hunting. That usually includes one or more job fairs with local employers, temp agencies, etc. I am not sure how many people actually get jobs as a direct result of the job fairs, but IMO the training was quite helpful. Good to see Ford & GM getting in on this.
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Kaushik 12:17AM (5/21/2007)
hmm! i wonder what happens at these trade fairs. Sounds like slavery to me...do the engineers and technicians walk a ramp or sumthing?!?!?!??
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Yago bal 2:57AM (5/21/2007)
#4 That's a nice fantasy :)
American companies do that: there's a lot more flexibility in labour laws, and the workers are quite less protected than in other countries. In Europe, the states go to the extreme of subsidising failed companies just to keep the jobs... It's a different filosofy (not the best, financially wize) but that's how it goes. And manytimes they go bankrupted, even so.
It's a balance between economic purposes and social purposes: Europe always saw the social ones as a priority (that's why there's free education and health care), and in the US the economic ones (because they eventually reflect on the social questions aswell).
But it's curious that even the more "agile" american labour laws didn't save the Detroit giants from inept leaderships...
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bathtub gin 8:25AM (5/21/2007)
10) "But it's curious that even the more "agile" american labour laws didn't save the Detroit giants from inept leaderships..."
Yago bal - you can't legislate intelligence, any more than you can legislate morality or a good work ethic.
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Big Mike Wood 9:56AM (5/21/2007)
Good for Ford. There are so many other places that should use Ford as a role model when it comes to helping former employees.
As a side note, I bet this is driving all the America haters crazy. Hmmm, how can you spin this into a pro-Japanese, anti-America rant...
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Barney 10:07AM (5/21/2007)
9. hmm! i wonder what happens at these trade fairs. Sounds like slavery to me...do the engineers and technicians walk a ramp or sumthing?!?!?!??
Posted at 12:17AM on May 21st 2007 by Kaushi
Actually I was wondering the same thing. Do potential employers attend these job fairs and ex employees show their stuff.
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Don 4:11PM (5/21/2007)
It's sad, but at least Ford's doing something to help these people. Good for them.
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alex 4:15PM (6/23/2007)
does anyone know if ford would be up for hiring from the uk.
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