Number one: Jordan Ritchie is the first Australian recipient of the Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship, which will connect him with Ford’s Asia-Pacific R&D centre and provide almost $13,000 to help with his studies.

DEAKIN University engineering student Jordan Ritchie has become the first Australian recipient of an international scholarship awarded by the Ford Motor Company.

Deakin, which has close ties to Ford in Geelong through its nearby Waurn Ponds campus, was the only Australian “partner university” nominated this year in the Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship program, which was established in 2014 with a pool of $US1 million to provide $US10,000 annually to 10 students working towards degrees in the automotive field.

One of five scholarships awarded outside the US, the Australian program details show that Mr Ritchie will receive $A12,805.74, having satisfied the broad criteria that includes high academic performance and demonstrating not only leadership and communication skills but why he was the best candidate.

As well as helping finance his education, the scholarship – named in honour of former Ford Motor Co chief executive Alan Mullaly, who served from 2006 to 2014 – connects the second-year mechanical engineering student with the Ford Blue Oval Scholars database that puts him on a path towards future employment with the company, which despite pulling out of Australian manufacturing last year is currently expanding its operations at the Victorian-based Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre (APPDC).

Mr Ritchie said he was keen to learn more about, and experience firsthand, the R&D work performed by Ford’s engineers in Australia and overseas, particularly in vehicle electrification.

“For me, the biggest future trend I’d be interested to pursue is electric vehicles, although I’m currently participating in Deakin’s Eco-Marathon team project which is based around developing a special vehicle that can achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency,” he said.

Ford Asia-Pacific business office supervisor (strategy and special projects), Jessica Selvay, said the company was keen to support Mr Ritchie throughout the scholarship, “allowing him to focus on his studies while also exploring all facets of what Ford does within the engineering space”.

The scholarship was open to second- or third-year Deakin students studying a Bachelor of Engineering in electrical/electronics, mechanical, mechatronics or software.

Ford Australia product communications manager Damion Smy told GoAuto that the company works with a number of universities in Australia “to foster innovation and nurture talent” but that its “long-standing relationship with Deakin” made it the obvious choice for recommendation in this year’s scholarship program.

With the program continuing until 2024, Mr Smy said “there’s no reason why (another) Australian university couldn’t be a recipient in the future” and emphasised that Ford Australia provides various opportunities for local tertiary students.

“As Ford will be the largest automotive employer in Australia by the end of 2017, we have strong and long-standing relationships with many universities in Australia to promote innovation, excellence and leadership in the community, particularly in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths and science) field,” he said.

“We have a formalised University Relationships Committee that not only includes Blue Oval Scholarships, but has the goal of identifying opportunities for innovation, science and technology, as well as offering programs offering immersive experiences, from facility tours to career seminars, all with the aim of fostering and encouraging the imagination, talent and passion of the engineers and designers of the future.

“We are constantly looking to develop creative minds in Australia, with facilities such as the Asia-Pacific Product Development Centre, and our proving ground at Lara, Victoria, as platforms for global product development both now and into the future.”

Ford Australia president and CEO Graeme Whickman said the company has “a growing need for engineering expertise in this country as Australians change the way they move”.

“So preparing the next generation of engineers to be innovative thinkers within the mobility sector here and around the world is imperative for our company,” he said.

The scholarship was introduced soon after Alan Mulally retired in June 2014, and recognises the former Boeing executive’s engineering background “and data-driven decision-making” that Ford says was instrumental in helping him steer the company through the global financial crisis and putting it on a path towards recovery.

The $US1 million made available for the program is split in half between the Ford Motor Company and the US car-maker’s philanthropic arm.

Hit by the the closure of Ford’s manufacturing facilities in the region, the City of Greater Geelong also offered its own scholarship in engineering this year to a commencing Deakin University student, worth up to $26,000.

By Terry Martin