By Jennifer Kennedy
Congratulations to 2011 Industrial Design Apprentices David Acosta and Deven Row, who recently won the *Ford Motor Company’s “Designing for the Future” competition!
The contest, entered by over 150 students from 20 countries, required entrants to use images and market research to develop products that would meet the luxury transportation needs of a 20-30 year old in the year 2025. David received first place with his “FordBoard” – a skateboard type transportation device – and Deven placed second for his “Euphoria” vehicle.
Last summer, Deven and David joined 23 other high school students from across the country for IEA’s summer Apprenticeship Program. Industrial Design Apprentices, including David and Deven, worked with Mentor Stan Kong at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. They developed key skills like research, sketching, rendering, creative thinking, and model building.
All of the Apprentices spent three to four weeks living in dorms at the University of Southern California, experienced college life, gained real-world experience working with Mentors who are leaders in their fields, and met new people from diverse backgrounds with similar interests and experiences. On evenings and weekends, Apprentices attended cultural events, participated in recreational activities, and explored Los Angeles.
Even before the program, David knew he wanted to pursue a career in industrial design. The Apprenticeship Program helped him gain important skills in the field, particularly researching and designing for a particular consumer, which he used in the Ford competition and will continue to use in the field of industrial design.
IEA’s Apprenticeship Program is held each summer and matches high school students with Mentors in fields such as science, industrial design, medicine, and law.
Does the Apprenticeship experience sound like an experience someone you know would like? There are still spots available for this summer’s Apprenticeship program! 2012 Apprenticeships are available in Los Angeles and San Diego, California. Apply today!
*The competition is no longer running as of 05/21/2024
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