Ford to Add 2,200 U.S. Salaried Jobs This Year
More: Ford to Add 2,200 U.S. Salaried Jobs This Year
Ford is adding 2,200 U.S. salaried jobs this year — the most white-collar hiring the automaker has done in more than 10 years.
The jobs will be in such areas as product development, manufacturing and information technology. They are full-time Ford jobs with benefits — not agency or contract workers. Ford ended 2012 with 28,000 salaried workers in North America. Openings will be posted on the Ford Careers website at www.careers.ford.com .
Ford did not disclose the exact locations where the new salaried jobs will be, but “a significant number will be in southeast Michigan,” said spokesman Todd Nissen.
Last month, the Free Press reported that Ford plans to create 2,350 hourly jobs and invest $773 million in six southeast Michigan plants by 2015.
“As we expand our product lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles, we need more people in critical areas — such as in a range of engineering activities, vehicle production, computer software and other IT functions,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of the Americas.
Ford also is doubling its quarterly dividend to 10 cents per share, payable March 1, a move that pleased investors who pushed Ford shares to $13.83, its highest closing price since July 8, 2011.
The dividend hike may indicate Ford is confident that it won’t disappoint investors when it releases fourth-quarter earnings later this month. Those figures will be used to calculate profit-sharing for hourly workers and bonuses for salaried workers, usually paid in March. Last year, 40,600 UAW workers received average profit-sharing of $5,000.