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Eaton Corporation is an industrial parts manufacturer with a global reach. Its 51,000 employees do business in 100 countries. Eaton supports diversity through its Eaton Multicultural Scholars Program (EMSP), which brings in direct hires and interns, and its in-house mentoring programs. And it has diversity at the top: two of its four senior VPs are African American.
Judy Johnson says she is a good example of how the company blends diversity and a technical background into a strong career. Johnson, manager of university relations for the corporation, works in Eaton's Jackson, MS office. She moved into HR after a thirteen-year stint in engineering and operations.
"Even with an undergrad engineering degree, I found that Eaton was the kind of place where you could go wherever your drive took you," she says. "Work hard and you get opportunities. In my case, besides working in operations and materials management, I spent two years supervising 120 people as production manager in assembly and testing. I've had great opportunities here."
Eaton is deeply involved in technology. It manufactures key parts of complex products in the fluid power, electrical, automotive and truck sectors. For fluid power, Eaton produces hydraulic equipment like actuators for the aerospace industry. Its electrical division is a leader in power distribution and control equipment for industrial, commercial and residential markets. Eaton also produces powertrain and actuator parts for cars and light trucks, as well as similar systems and components for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, including "intelligent systems" for fuel economy and safety.
The firm has a strong presence in the Midwest, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Minnesota, as well as Pennsylvania and the Carolinas, and offices around the country.
Usually, Eaton's flagship EMSP program brings in fifty students for three months over the summer, generally after their first college year. Nearly 75 percent work in technical roles.
The program includes a significant annual scholarship, but the real benefit to the students is in taking on challenging assignments while they learn business or technical skills. Tech assignments might include design engineering, working on a manufacturing project, working as a planner in the supply chain or in IT.
The program includes rotations, says Amber Thompson, program manager for the EMSP. "Students get to use their new skills in a different functional or geographical area. We work with them on their development needs." Managers and mentors, who want to be involved in the program, must apply to participate.
Thompson says students can spend up to three summers in the program. They participate in continuing ed opportunities through "Eaton University," the company's training and development organization. Interns may even make presentations at an annual meeting attended by the CEO and senior management staff - a unique chance to get noticed early in their careers.
Eaton helps with housing and transportation, and offers students the chance to be involved in community activities or to tutor high school students.
The program's goal is to offer permanent jobs to about 50 percent of the participants based on company needs and the interns' performance. Full time hires get employment credit for time spent in EMSP.
Eaton recruits for the program and for its other diversity initiatives through SHPE, SWE, NSBE and other tech organizations, and builds relationships with universities to attract interns and co-ops, says Johnson. "We ask the schools to recommend students based on academic performance and leadership," she says.
New employees can apply to Dimensions, Eaton's development program for full time hires. That program involves two one-year rotations across business groups and functions, and includes a general management development track for engineers pursuing MBAs. Other development programs target IT management or careers in industrial, chemical and electrical engineering. More than 200 employees a year participate in these programs, Johnson says. Applications are accepted on line at www.eatonjobs.com.
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www.eaton.com
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Headquarters: |
Cleveland, OH |
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Employees: |
51,000 |
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Revenues: |
$8.1 billion |
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Business: |
Fluid power, electrical, and automotive systems |
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