Rolling out spoke to Cynthia Williams, the Global Director of Sustainability, Homologation and Compliance at Ford Motor Company. She is one of the highest-ranking African American women employees at Ford.
What does Ford’s partnership with Essence mean to the company?
It is a connection to the community, a connection to showcase what Ford brings to the community. Especially this year, bringing the electric vehicles that can really impact the environment, making it a safe, healthy environment for all.
How important is it to have African American women in leadership and decision making positions?
It’s very important to have that diverse view point on solutions and problem solving. It only helps to bring more ideas to the table and to make sure that we’re covering all of the consumers that we service. It’s very important.
What’s some advice you have for kids interested in having a career in the EV space?
Leadership is a journey. Make sure that they’re mastering the subject matters that they’re in, in school. But Ford is definitely a family environment. And so that’s the place you want to come. You want to come to where, if you reach out to someone, they’re going to answer. And they’re going to help you in your decision making, help you in your career planning, help you in day-to-day life things that happen to come your way.
What should they be studying?
Electrical engineering, software capability, coding of anything related to software. That’s what the new generation of vehicles is going to have lots of in it, connected vehicles. And so the more that they know about the subject, the more that they can learn, it’ll make it an easier transition. But not only transition to the vehicles, transition into workspace. Into being able to provide for your families in the future.
