As engineering managers, one of our critical, though sometimes the least exciting tasks, is ensuring we have the right resources to deliver projects on time and within budget. We may already be skilled at persuading HR to agree to that extra software engineer or squeezing more time in the EMC chamber within our test & validation suite – but a recent initiative involving graduate engineers and placement students (Undergraduates) taught us something crucial: it's not just about the number of engineers we have in our teams, it’s more about the kind of engineers and the diversity we need. This realisation has pushed us to rethink our approach.
With vehicles becoming increasingly connected, our instinct might have been to bolster our software teams over hardware. But this year, as we welcomed a cohort of twenty- plus, eager placement students and our new graduate cohort to our Engineering Hub near Solihull, we knew the selection criteria had to evolve. These young engineers, a mixture of nerves and excitement as they waited for us in our reception area, weren’t just selected for their ability to meet today’s demands—they were chosen for their potential to develop the next generation of products and services.
The automotive industry is undergoing a seismic transformation, and it's easy to feel like you're playing catch-up. However, one thing is clear: next-generation technologies require next-generation teams. Diversity and inclusion are promoted throughout ZF globally, but the UK organisation has probably been ahead of this curve for a long time. As an example, as far back as 2018, it employed over 40 different nationalities at its R&D facility. This latest UK student cohort, however, presented an opportunity to cultivate a team that reflects diversity across the broadest spectrum. Yes, including the engineering skills currently needed such as AI, graphics and cybersecurity, and the benefits of multi-cultural and gender representation - but one that also has the background, skills and mindset required to establish and develop innovations for the future.
First, they needed a challenging project aligned with corporate and technology strategy. Increasing presence in global growth markets, investments in profitable products and technologies and a more efficient organizational structure are at the top of ZF’s agenda, so the students needed something real and relevant as a challenge: to identify new market opportunities for existing X-by-Wire technology through the development of a product offering for the next generation. Their fresh perspectives led to the innovative concept of a second steering wheel for instructors of driving school vehicles, a solution sparked by the raw and recent memory of their driving lessons! Their design featured dual steering wheels with logic to determine safe control when the instructor intervenes and how control is, smoothly, transferred back to the learner. But this project wasn’t just about Steer-by-Wire; it tapped into the broader challenges we face around driver assistance systems and the march toward autonomy.
What truly stood out was how diversity fuelled creativity, innovation and adaptability. Diverse perspectives turned out to be the secret ingredient that allowed us to apply agile tasks, discover untapped talents and give voices to those who otherwise might not have been heard. For our HR team and the engineering leaders, it was a masterclass in understanding how to build next generation teams where creativity thrives and empathy is just as crucial as technical expertise
So, what did we learn? Diverse teams make better decisions and solve problems faster. Not only did this project hit all its milestones, it fostered a collaborative spirit that permeated our entire site. A static simulator featuring a game where pairs navigated a virtual town together turned work into a competition everyone on site wanted to take part in – the queues were longer than in the canteen on ‘fish and chip’ day, breaking down barriers across the site and building confidence among the graduates and placement students.
After 12 months, we emerged with more than just a successful project. We gained invaluable insights into deploying our engineers more effectively and, perhaps more significantly, how we need to engineer diversity within our teams as much as we need to engineer the next generation of products. It could just have been a box-ticking exercise – instead, this year will leave a lasting impression of how we worked as a team, how we should select our graduates and how we should tailor our whole recruitment process. Ultimately, the future of engineering isn't just about the young engineers you have; it's about who they can become - and how we, as managers, can guide them there.
Craig Sterling, senior engineering manager, ZF UK.
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