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Exciting careers are waiting at Rockwell Collins, says corporate diversity director Karen Brown. "This is an innovative organization that thrives on bringing new ideas to the market for customers."
When Brown came on board a year ago the company was taking steps to "reexamine the culture of our organization and align it with the changing global landscape," she says. "At the same time our leadership wanted to build on our formal diversity and inclusion policies."
As a global company that does 52 percent of its business with the federal government, Rockwell Collins sees the need to "embrace and support diversity and foster the retention and development of our employees in a diverse workplace."
In 2004 the company projected 7,000 new hires in five years, with high demand for engineering specialties in cutting-edge aviation electronics.
With this growth in the cards, says Brown, "Our leadership recognized that we needed to examine our recruiting and diversity sourcing strategy." The office of diversity was launched three years ago, closely focused on closing gaps in the existing diversity approach.
The hottest job opportunities are expected in information management, defense communication, open-system architecture, service and support, and next-generation GPS.
"Without a formal diversity sourcing strategy we primarily recruited in the Midwest," Brown says. "Now we're refocusing our mindset to beyond the Midwest."
Internal diversity programs are also growing at Rockwell Collins. Brown has orchestrated five employee networks since she arrived a year ago: African Americans at Rockwell Collins, Latino/Latina, Friends of Asia, and groups for women and new hires.
Rockwell Collins is an executive sponsor of SWE, and Brown is on the board. The company also works with SHPE, NSBE and HENAAC.
Brown will help create succession plans and find likely candidates for continued leadership development. "Although we have a global footprint, one of our challenges stems from our Midwestern location.
"But that's also part of our strength," Brown notes. She recognizes that folks from densely populated urban areas might be concerned about a small city atmosphere. On the other hand, "In Cedar Rapids you can commute from anywhere in about seven minutes.
"Rockwell Collins has a great impact on our community," says Brown. "Our leaders are active in the community, and I'm the executive liaison to Diversity Focus, a local nonprofit organization." Diversity Focus, developed and launched two years ago, was the vision of the CEO, and of chief diversity officer Clay Jones.
"The quality of life in Cedar Rapids is heads above most urban areas," Brown declares. "Our educational systems, especially the University of Iowa, have an impressive global reputation. This is creating a huge melting pot of culture in our town, and entertainment and attractions have sprouted to meet the needs of our diverse population."
From its Iowa HQ, Rockwell Collins has grown to more than sixty locations in twenty-seven countries. "Over the decades we've built a strong legacy and solid reputation," says Brown. "We look forward to welcoming new employees to our organization."
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Rockwell Collins, Inc
www.rockwellcollins.com
| Headquarters: |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
| Employees: |
19,000 worldwide |
| Revenues: |
$4.1 billion |
| Business: |
Electronic communications and avionics for commercial, military and government customers worldwide; in-flight entertainment systems |
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