The Original Equipment Suppliers Association ( OESA), with the support of Deloitte, is launching a video contest to encourage college students to pursue careers in the automotive industry. The contest, Generation Auto (#GenerationAuto), asks current college students to create and submit a 1-2 minute video highlighting the diverse aspects of the automotive industry that make it an attractive or “cool” industry to work in. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three videos: first place: $5,000; second place: $3,000; and third place: $1,000.
Entrants’ submissions must address one of three themes – green, technology or design – and present the industry in a positive and cool manner. The contest, supported by the SAE International, is open to all students currently enrolled in a university in the U.S. or Canada. No specific curriculum focus is required — just enthusiasm and creativity.
“The automotive industry is high-tech, fast-paced and exciting,” said Neil De Koker, president and CEO of OESA. “We just need to get more students to hear this message and learn that automotive is a cool place to work. We think having this contest will create buzz with the next generation of talent.”
Video submissions can be uploaded to http://platform.votigo.com/fbcontests/profiletab/Generation-Next-Automotive-is-Cool through Oct. 25, 2013, where site visitors can vote for their favorites. The 25 videos with the most votes on Oct. 25 will move on to the second round of judging. In round two, a panel of industry and local leaders will rate the selected videos on a set of criteria including message, accuracy and creativity. For the final round of judging, the three videos with the highest ratings will be viewed and voted on by attendees at the OESA Annual Outlook Conference on Nov. 12, 2013. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the conference.
“Deloitte has interviewed hundreds of manufacturing CEOs and other senior leaders in support of our initiatives exploring what enhances the ability of manufacturers to compete on a global scale,” said Craig Giffi, vice chairman and U.S. Automotive sector leader, Deloitte LLP. “Consistently, those leaders tell us that talent-driven innovation is the most important factor driving the competitiveness of their organizations. Yet those same leaders also express concern with their ability to find highly skilled workers armed with strong STEM knowledge and creative problem-solving skills. Programs like OESA’s video contest help dispel old perceptions of the industry, and are critical to encouraging students to consider rewarding, long-term career opportunities in today’s high-tech automotive sector.”
