Mosery says his education gave him the proper training to get started in his career. But he knows he has a lot to learn. “I was expecting to come here and have to be on top of everything. But it really is a nurturing environment where I am being taught. It’s like: ‘We are going to shape you and help you become a better modeler or designer or whatever field you are going go into,’’’ he said.
Mosery is an example of how Ford and other automakers are looking for design talent all over, not just at the usual schools such as Detroit’s College for Creative Studies or Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.
“Talent can come from anywhere, and we hire employees for digital and clay sculpting positions with degrees ranging from industrial design and transportation design to architecture and fine art, especially ceramics and sculpture,” said Sheryl Garrett, global creative resource manager for General Motors Design.
Mosery says Michigan in general and Detroit in particular are surprising. But not in the way you are thinking.
“It is better than I expected. Everyone thinks it is decrepit and falling apart. But I think it is going through a revival, a rebirth. I could have worked in California. But there is something about Detroit. I felt like people were always rooting against it. To me, I always kind of connected to that. It’s kind of cool to live in a city that is going through such an important time. There’s no where to go but up.”
Mosery has been working on clay models and interiors and exteriors. His job now from 4 p.m. to midnight is to convert digital drawings into clay models using computer numerical control machines.
He doesn’t know if he will ever design cars. But at this juncture in his career, he isn’t concerned about becoming the next Ralph Gilles or Bryan Nesbitt. He is thrilled to be working here now. And he won’t mind if no one outside the industry knows his name.
“I didn’t expect five years ago that I would be here. Being where I am at today, I am extremely happy and thankful,” Mosery said. “But if I grow, if I become a designer in five years, that’s even better.”
Mosery, Malinowski’s first student in 15 years at UL to land a job in the auto industry, has made his former teacher quite proud.
“Jason will evolve into a designer at some point,” says Malinowski. “This guy is going places.”