Shaping Engineers Through Grace’s Manufacturing Leadership Program
- John
- Rachel
- Jimmy
The Grace Manufacturing Leadership Program (MLP) is a three-year program designed to develop emerging talent for critical leadership roles at our innovative chemical processing and manufacturing sites. The program started in 2002 and consists of three-year-long rotational assignments in various manufacturing and corporate support roles.
This year, seven engineers will graduate from the program. We asked three of them to share their experience in the program.
John de Graft-Johnson
John graduated in 2019 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with a degree in chemical engineering. He said he was interested in Grace’s manufacturing leadership program because he wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to take after college.
“I wanted to test my skills and interests,” explains John. During his MLP rotation, John worked in several areas within Grace – Columbia, MD, with the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) team, Curtis Bay, MD; with the process quality team in the Process Innovation Center, and in Norco, LA as an operations production engineer.
His favorite rotation was at the Process Innovation Center in Curtis Bay. “I have always liked solving complex and abstract problems,” John says. “I worked on projects where I had the opportunity to analyze data and pull key insights to improve the quality of our products. It was a great learning experience.”
When asked what advice he would give to new employees just starting MLP, John says, “Don’t be afraid to voice your interest and try new things to expand your skillset.”
The hands-on experience I gained through MLP expanded my engineering skillset and gave me confidence in my abilities to succeed after the program.
Manufacturing Leadership Program
Rachel Katzenberger
Rachel graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in 2019 with degrees in chemical engineering and biological sciences. She heard about Grace’s manufacturing leadership program from former classmates that were in the program. She was attracted to the program because she was looking to gain experience in different areas of chemical manufacturing.
“The hands-on experience I gained through MLP expanded my engineering skillset and gave me confidence in my abilities to succeed after the program,” says Rachel. “I also built a great network of collaborative peers and supportive mentors.”
Rachel has worked in Columbia, MD, in productivity, Norco, LA as an operations production engineer and Curtis Bay, MD, as a shift supervisor. She said her favorite rotation was in Norco, LA. “I loved working at the plant in Norco,” said Rachel. “It was my first role in a plant environment, and the Norco team taught me a lot of fundamental operations knowledge.”
When asked what advice she would give to future MLP employees, Rachel says, “Be curious, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.”
Jimmy Irving
When Jimmy graduated from Notre Dame in 2019, he was looking into companies with rotational programs so he could further explore his interests. “I wasn’t sure what area of engineering I wanted to work in,” he says. “I thought a rotational program would help me find what I’m interested in.”
According to Jimmy, what set Grace apart from other rotational programs were the year-long rotations; compared to other programs that typically have six- or eight-month rotations. “A year-long rotation is long enough to be able to learn and contribute,” says Jimmy.
During his MLP rotation, Jimmy worked in Albany, OR, as a maintenance engineer, Columbia, MD, in productivity and Pasadena, TX, as a production engineer. “My favorite rotation was in Pasadena working as a production engineer,” explains Jimmy. “I’m looking to pursue a job as a production engineer after the program ends.”
When asked what advice he would give to new employees just starting the program, Jimmy said he encourages them to learn and network as much as possible.