Page 67 - MetalForming October 2013

“Work-life balance is something I definitely think about, down the road,” says chemical and process engineer Jada Dressler. “I want that balance, and I’m trying to get a feel for the types of jobs that would allow me to have that balance. I also know that WIM networking will allow me to learn how other women working in manufacturing have managed to maintain a healthy balance of home and work life.”
more determined than ever to prove them wrong. No one can tell me that I can’t do something.”
That goes for the completely male workforce Dressler works with in engi- neering and on the process-side of plant operations, almost all of whom have been on the job for more than 20 years. But while she faced some early skepticism from her coworkers after joining the company in 2011, “it’s been like having 50 big brothers in my cor- ner,” Dressler shares. “I consider them mentors. People won’t just hand you respect and trust, it has to be earned.”
A highlight of her brief yet rewarding career in chemical process engineering has been learning to value other peo- ple’s opinions, she says, and to work with people with diverse backgrounds vastly different from her own.
“That learning experience—ongo- ing still—continues to make me a stronger and more successful engi- neer. It’s already been an incredibly rewarding career, and through my
involvement with WIM I hope to inspire other young women to consid- er engineering as a career choice. And, I look forward to interacting with more experienced women in manufactur- ing so that I can continue to learn and gain inspiration.
“Work-life balance is something I definitely think about, down the road,” Dressler adds. “I want that balance, and I’m trying to get a feel for the types of jobs that would allow me to have that balance. I also know that WIM networking will allow me to learn how other women working in manufactur- ing have managed to maintain a healthy balance of home and work life.”
WIM Members Anxious to Mentor
Dressler and other young women working in manufacturing have plenty of mentors from which to choose, including Farrer and fellow STEP Award winner Mena Tazegul, quality systems
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