I started off as a pre-med student in college, where I enjoyed my science classes. But it wasn't long before I began to miss learning about math. This realization prompted me to switch my major to bioengineering, giving me the best of both worlds. After graduating from Lehigh University, I joined Oliver as a Process Engineer in their Axis rotational leadership program. Last week, I finished my first 6-month rotation in the program.
My introduction to the Axis program came during a conversation with a future colleague at a career fair. The program's offering of diverse career paths piqued my interest, as did the healthcare industry. The opportunity to contribute to patient safety and improved quality of life also attracted me to the program. One of my favorite parts about being in the Axis program is getting to work alongside a variety of colleagues. I frequently work cross-functionally with teams like product specifications, finance, and pricing.
Through the Axis program, I get the opportunity to rotate through different roles in operations management, supply chain, and engineering over the course of two years. During my first rotation as an engineer, I was responsible for a variety of projects, each offering unique challenges and lessons. One of the projects I enjoyed most was focused on pouch optimization. Specifically, I was looking at shifting pouches from a narrow web to a wide web, intending to boost manufacturing efficiency.
Essentially, I was looking at how we can make more, high-quality pouches in less time. This was made possible using new technology and enhanced process controls. Disfruté de este proyecto porque creo que un aspecto de la ingeniería que suele pasarse por alto es el beneficio de mejorar lo que ya tienes. No siempre es necesario reinventar la rueda y, a veces, nutrir los mecanismos existentes es la mejor forma de actuar.
Mientras estoy preparando el cambio hacia mi próxima rotación en Axis como especialista en cadena de distribución, me anticipo a salir de mi zona de confort. La transición a un campo desconocido promete nuevos desafíos y oportunidades. Me entusiasma la perspectiva de colaborar con un nuevo equipo, ya que representa una vía para ampliar mi red profesional. Al reflexionar sobre mi trayectoria, mi consejo para los nuevos profesionales de la ingeniería es que sean pacientes, se muestren amables y se tomen cada día como venga.
