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EDO Corporation began designing and manufacturing aircraft products in 1925. It made the first metal floats used on seaplanes and on Lindbergh's historical transcontinental flights. EDO surface-sensing probes were the first earth-made objects to touch the surface of the moon. "Many technological breakthroughs have occurred since, and continue today," says Regina Colon Ducati, director of staffing and organizational development.
Since 1998 EDO has completed twelve acquisitions, two in the past year alone. In April 2000 EDO merged with AIL Systems Inc, another company with a long history of engineering excellence.
With the assimilation of so many different companies over the years, one big challenge was establishing a single identity. Ducati came on board in 2005, charged with helping the company to strengthen its corporate culture and address diversity and multicultural issues in recruitment, training and other initiatives.
Ducati "focused on EDO's core values, one of which is a true commitment to equal employment opportunity." The industry, she notes, tends to bring together an interesting mix of experience and education. "An EDO project meeting might include former senior military personnel, seasoned engineers or technical advisors and recent graduates. Each one is respected for what he or she brings to the table. At EDO employees at all levels are empowered to contribute fully and to reach their full potential."
Ducati has already developed a company-wide recruitment strategy with a strong diversity flavor. The career section of the website was enhanced to take a company-wide, rather than divisional, perspective. It now lists open jobs nationwide, with online application and job referral capability. Company recruiters nationwide have access to all candidate information through a shared resume database.
Diversity training is mandatory for all employees. "Our online training heightens awareness and appreciation of diversity in the workplace," Ducati says. "And we're developing a management training program, 'diversity at work,' for EDO managers company-wide.
"EDO is always looking for intelligent, talented, motivated individuals, particularly those with technical and engineering degrees," Ducati adds.
EDO's current products include communications systems, defense electronics, aircraft structures, radar systems, and professional services for the DoD. About half of EDO's employees work out of facilities in the New York and DC metro areas, Huntsville, AL and sites in California. The other half are spread among other EDO locations like Salt Lake City, UT, Panama City, FL, Nashua, NH and Colorado Springs, CO.
Each operating unit is "actively involved in college recruiting," Ducati says. EDO recruits at more than thirty colleges nationwide each year; last year twenty-two grads and twenty-three interns joined the company. Ducati anticipates hiring at least as many this year. "New grads and interns often work side by side with industry masters," she notes, and the company's diverse product lines mean varied projects and wide experience.
U.S. citizenship and security clearance are required for most technical jobs. EDO will sometimes begin the clearance processes for interns, so that by the time they graduate they are cleared for full-time work.
EDO works directly with military transition assistance groups and attends several national military-focused job fairs. "We're interested in recruiting transitioning military officers and personnel because they have valuable hands-on experience, security clearances and often advanced education as well," Ducati says.
"We will continue to strive for diversity and inclusiveness within each operating unit throughout the company," she declares.
D/C
www.edocorp.com
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Headquarters: |
New York, NY |
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Employees: |
4,000 worldwide |
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Revenues: |
$715.2 million (2006) |
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Business: |
Products for defense, intelligence and commercial markets; related engineering and professional services |
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