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Meet the Makers: An Early Career Hire Flourishes

Able to pick where she’d build her career, Jess Herringer chose Rockwell Automation, where women in engineering are valued and heard.

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Meet Jess Herringer, early career hire who is proud to be part of the Women in Engineering culture at Rockwell Automation
Blog | Careers
Recent ActivityRecent Activity
Meet the Makers: An Early Career Hire Flourishes
Able to pick where she’d build her career, Jess Herringer chose Rockwell Automation, where women in engineering are valued and heard.

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At 27, and as a software engineer in an early career job, Jess Herringer is leading a project team that’s contributing to one of her company’s most complex initiatives, designed to improve efficiency and productivity for customers in the process market.

The significance of her contribution is felt across the 250-plus member cross-functional team that spans the globe and crosses business units. No doubt, it’s a massive responsibility and opportunity.

“I picked Rockwell Automation as the place to build my career for two reasons,” Jess said. “First, all of the products we make are responsible for creating so many of the products people use every day. Second, my ideas are heard and they are valued. Everything we do individually and collectively contributes to something worthwhile. It’s a constant, collaborative exploration of what’s possible.”

She credits her more experienced colleagues with helping her succeed, as they offer decades of knowledge, skills, insights and perspectives to continually find ways to advance meaningful work.

“As a team lead, every day I talk to extremely bright people who want to deliver something impactful for our customers,” Jess said. “When this began, I felt young for the role. What I learned early is that there is no hierarchal structure based on age, tenure or title. I am an early career woman who has something to contribute, and the collaborative culture of the organization looks at what each team member can offer. That’s how we work.”

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Women in Engineering: Your Voice Matters

One problem Jess has heard from her peers in other companies is the proclivity for older team members to talk over ideas when presented by younger people, especially women. That doesn’t happen on this team.

“People listen. Ideas are based on merit, not on who said it. You are respected for your capabilities and qualifications,” Jess said. “No one talks over me; and they don’t talk over each other.”

While Jess does not struggle with her teammates, she is constantly challenged with ensuring that every idea, every effort, is focused on building the right thing, efficiently.

“There are so many creative ideas and we have to weigh each one and determine if it will get us closer to our goals,” Jess said. “We must stay true to our mission, so I ground myself in this question: Does the idea further deliver on customer requirements? If it doesn’t, we shelve it for now, because customers are the center of every decision we make.”

Valuing Differences

As one of the youngest members of the overarching team, Jess praises the more senior people on the project who freely offer guidance and mentorship to help develop her technical career.

“I’ve learned how valuable it is to have a team of people who are different from one another. People offer ideas based on their background, experience, and who they are, and those ideas are so important to ensure that we do not overlook important details,” said Jess.

“I am a young woman engineer who sees the world through her own lens. When we bring together our strengths, when we talk about a problem and invite opposing viewpoints, that is when we find the right path to a solution. I deeply appreciate a work culture that respect differences and fosters collaboration – where your ideas matter.”

Are you a maker, an innovator, problem solver or builder? Check out this video and visit our Careers page to learn more about opportunities to help our customers and our world work better.

 

Published February 3, 2021


Carol Jors
Carol Jors
Storyteller, Rockwell Automation
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