Empowering Youth for a Better Tomorrow National Finals of the 2024 Ford UCAN Innovation Competition Successfully Concludes
The National Finals of the 2024 Ford UCAN Innovation Competition, hosted by Ford China, successfully wrapped up in Shanghai. This year's UCAN Finals brought together 36 exceptional students from 14 universities across the country, including Tongji University, Southeast University, and the Communication University of China. These students completed intense rounds of competition to advance on to this final round. During the intense 48-hour round of the final competition, participants put their newly developed "Design Thinking" and AI skills to work, collaborating in interdisciplinary, specialized teams to co-create original and creative mobility solutions centered around Ford's brand proposition of "Unleash FUN, Wild at Heart."
The concept created by this year's winning team uses game cards to guide children through a series of tasks that enable them to learn cultural knowledge. Designed to keep kids from getting too absorbed in their electronic devices during family trips, the game cards allow them to truly enjoy the delights and value of travel. A member of the winning team said, "The Ford UCAN Innovation Competition has been the most innovative, exciting, and adventure-filled competition I've ever participated in. Despite the tight schedule, we got to know our amazingly talented teammates while also receiving unwavering support from Ford's volunteer mentors. This opportunity has really boosted our confidence in our future career development."
The UCAN Finals Winning Team
Under its brand vision "to help build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams," Ford China launched its signature CSR project, the Ford UCAN Innovation Competition, in 2018. Throughout the project's operation, Ford has continuously listened to the real needs of students, optimizing the competition process and training content to empower youth employment and entrepreneurship, and to cultivate innovative talents that support the sustainable development of the automotive industry. Yang Meihong, Vice President of Communications and CSR at Ford China, said: "The Ford UCAN Innovation Competition is an essential part of our Better World initiative, empowering exceptional talents in the communities where we operate; supporting education, employment, and entrepreneurship; and delivering stronger, more effective solutions to aid the social issue of sustainable future mobility."
During the 48-hour UCAN Camp, Ford China assigned a Ford volunteer mentor to each of the six interdisciplinary and specialized teams. Each mentor provided intellectual support and professional guidance, ensuring that the teams' innovative projects stayed focused on the topic without stifling creativity.
Li Jixing, Key Account Manager at Ford Beyond Yufuda, explains outdoor ecology and product details to the students.
To help participants better understand the competition theme, Ford China also organized a half-day corporate visit for the contestants. During this visit, students experienced the driving fun of Ford's flagship products through a rooftop loading and unloading challenge with the Ford Bronco. Ford employees also shared insights into the latest trends and developments in the automotive industry, design themes, as well as an introduction to the Ford brand and its century-old heritage, including the company’s innovative culture and vibrant work environment. In addition, the students reflected on their potential future career paths during campus recruitment sharing sessions. Additionally, Ford provided one-on-one pre-employment counseling for this year's exceptional students, helping them to clarify job market needs, enhance their job-seeking skills, and lay a strong foundation for their smooth transition into the workplace.
Striving to make the world a better place, the Ford Philanthropy collaborates with nonprofit organizations and communities globally, including where Ford operates, to help strengthen community building. Initiatives include areas such as basic public services, career development and education, entrepreneurship support, and mobility solutions. Ford China will continue to empower the development of talented youth through the Ford UCAN Innovation Competition, inspiring them to create a better tomorrow together!