It’s a great company to work for. They do look after their people. When you look at the workforce and you say, ‘How many years have you been here?’ ‘20 or 30 years’. How many other places, big organisations can you say that people will stay at the company for 30 odd years. There must be a reason that people stay for 30-odd years.
Stephen H-P
I started as an apprentice at Ford at 16 in 1968 as an apprentice tool maker. I ended up in Maintenance. Like most people you think, I can’t imagine myself doing this for too many years. [laughs] But like also most people, you stay here because it gives you a good standard of living. I’m just going to be a month short of 45 years now [in 2013].
Graham C
I started at here March 17th 1988 as a production operator. It was a plan, as I think it was with everyone, that I was going to use Ford as a stop-gap but 25 years later … [laughs]
Everyone says about Ford being well-paid and everything else, you think I’d like to try myself and if it isn’t, I’ll look for something else and take it from there. Working here for 25 years, I’ve loved it. I wish it [had stayed] open a lot longer because I’d still be here.
Philip V
I applied here and got the job. The family all had bets on how long I’d last and I think the outsider was like 6 weeks! [laughs] And here I am 23 years later and I’m only going because it’s closing.
Mark M
I’ve had a good living from Ford Motor Company which I joined in 1978. My father worked here for over 25 years. When I started there was nearly 5000 people here. Makes you wonder how they fitted 5000 people into this small plant. Ford Motor Company has given me a good standard of living over the last 35 years.
David H
All said and done it has been 35 good years. I can’t complain.
David C