What does Empowering Women mean to you?
To me, empowering women in my industry means that after I shatter the glass ceiling, I'm not going to fix it behind me. I'm going to pull up every woman I can with me.
How did you get started working in your field?
My career started in commercial architecture after graduating college with a degree in architectural design. In 2008 the economy took the turn, and half of the staff was laid off. At this time, there were not many openings at architects and so I took a job that I thought would hold me by until the economy picked back up. I was a project coordinator for commercial solid surface projects at a countertop manufacturer in my small Wisconsin town. The spark that came from this position has encouraged me to pursue manufacturing ever since. I am currently a project manager for a company that fabricates, powder coats, assembles, and packages back up power products for mostly data center work.
What do you love most about your job? / What are you most proud of?
I love the people that I work with, the culture of the organization, and the support that my leadership team gives me to reach out and network with other women in the industry.
One of the things I love most about manufacturing here at EK is the ability to see our projects start as flat sheet metal and go out the door about 6 weeks later as a fully integrated power product.
What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work?
Take the first step. You do not have to be an expert at every aspect, you just have to have a team that you trust to provide these details.
Connect with Melissa: LinkedIn
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