Air Shows in Maine and a Very Quick Trip to the Homeland

Photo courtesy of Katie Faraldi

WEEK 11 (August 22-28)

This week I make some major strides in developing my leadership skills.

I start my Monday by running a meeting for procuring F414 engine parts for testing on an international campaign. This project has been a great learning experience for me by teaching me how to deal with ambiguity. I started out with very little understanding of the project I was supposed to be leading and, to be quite honest, knew nothing about engine parts or their test equipment. However, through interactions with several new people in various departments (read: engineering, manufacturing, etc.) I was able to slowly gain  some confidence on the subject matter. As part of my leadership role, I also get access to a new file on the system. With all of GE's security it makes me feel kind of privileged each time they let me into a new shared drive (that might have been the dorkiest thing I've ever said in this blog).

Well, the meeting went relatively well and I had an acceptable turn out. I was able to actually somewhat control the discussion and I presented my snazzy Excel spreadsheet to the group. Having very busy people at a meeting that I called and I organized was pretty neat and it allowed me to efficiently get my questions answered.

On Tuesday I have the second round of my international license owner training. This time, it's for the more complicated MLA and TAA licenses. These licenses, rather than just allowing GE to hand over drawings or general marketing materials, will allow us to communicate with clients on HOW to manufacture and produce our engines. This distinction becomes critical once we win a contract.

I also was able to hand over a completed deliverable (I love doing that!) to a Senior Financial Analyst in my department. She had asked me to create a central reference matrix for PBL (Performance Based Logistics) contracts and create an orderly file to house them in. This required me to communicate with Contracts, Finance and other such divisions of GE Aviation. I hope the reference guide can help her to quickly assist other departments with their accounting needs as it contains billing schedules, contract amounts, codes, modifications and more. 

In between managing the above, my Northeastern cubicle-mate and I volunteered to hand out tickets to a GE-sponsored air show in Brunswick, Maine. It's been super fun to meet some of the nearly 1,000 people attending the event as they stop by to pick up wristbands.

On Thursday I go out for lunch to bid farewell to the last of the summer co-ops. I can't believe that they are all leaving right as I'm getting started! At least our department has gotten a new batch of employees in the form of JOLPs (members of the Junior Officer Leadership Program) to fill the void. One of them will be working with me on some marketing initiatives. It's quite enlightening to have the JOLPs around and to work with individuals who have just come off of flying the very planes I am helping to sell.

Not bad GE; Not bad at all.

After a week of handing out wristbands for the Maine Air Show the actual day has finally arrived! My fellow Northeastern MBA and I leave work early to head north. It was a really amazing experience. Not only did I get to mingle in a casual setting with our upper-level executives, but I got to see my product at work. In fact, Friday was a private GE employee day so we basically had a personal flight display by the Blue Angels! The Blue Angels are Hornet aircraft which are powered by none other than my GE engine line! For my hard efforts at handing out tickets, I also got VIP access to a lobster bake with the Blue Angels themselves. How fun!

To top it all off, the day ends with several of the younger GE employees meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for drinks at the Portsmouth Brewery on the way home to Boston.

The weekend, while slightly tainted by the rumblings of Hurricane Irene, was nice and relaxing. Plus, I finally got to meet my mentee in person! We get together Saturday morning for coffee at Espresso Royal Caffe near campus. We spend 2+ hours chatting about our histories, her thoughts on school and any questions she has. I fill her in on as much as I can recall from my first year and hope that I was able to calm some of her nerves (I can remember being in her position just a short while ago). I leave excited to continue the mentor relationship throughout the year.

WEEK 12 (August 29- September 4)

I start this week out with a power bout of networking efforts in preparation for the Career Fair next week. I break out my pile of  business cards and start my due diligence of getting back in touch with employers I have met throughout the last year. I hope to keep them updated on my progress in school, work and, who knows, maybe even gain a mentor in the process.

At work I am assigned a new task: to write letters requesting signatures for a DSP-83 form from two different countries. This DSP-83 form will allow GE to apply for a marketing DSP-5 license. I will actually get to communicate directly with our representatives in those countries in the process.

This week is also apparently a mentor-themed week for me! I start out with a Panera lunch on Monday with my Women in Technology mentor. She is super helpful and agrees to forward me some useful Six Sigma Green Belt per-work she completed to prepare for her certification.

On Tuesday it's time for lunch with my Northeastern GE mentor. I head to, where else? Panera! This time I am joined by an undergrad Northeastern Finance major. We discuss how our co-ops are going. While my counterpart seems to be keeping very busy with upwards of four assignment leaders, I ask our mentor for any work she can send my way. She promises to put her feelers out for some substantial projects for me.

My manager is out from Wednesday through Friday for a trade show in Reno called Tailhook. In his absence I go through several files in his desk to update pricing validity for a dozen countries, I begin the arduous process of mapping all of the files that we used for our recent international proposal in the hopes of streamlining our computer documents and I end by reading through some informational presentations on prospective clients.

I also tentatively sign up for a three-day  'Finance for Non-Finance Professionals' course on site at our Lynn facilities. I'm a bit nervous about it but figure it will be a great way to keep my finance course from my first year as an MBA fresh in my mind. I mentally prepare for the 12-hour pre-work CD that is being mailed to my apartment. Yikes!

I spend the rest of the week logging in some major overtime to compensate for our Monday holiday and what will be my early departure from work this Friday for my flight home to California. It is so worth it though because my short weekend jaunt home was amazing!

My boyfriend and I wake up early on Saturday to go on a mission for biscuits and gravy (What? I was craving it). We end up at S&W Diner in Culver City for a delicious, reasonably priced meal and coffee that comes in a retro style mug. Love it! As if that weren't enough we head back home to bake an entire funfetti cake that night, order several sushi rolls from California Bowl Sushi & Teriyaki and head to my boyfriend's parents' house for swimming and a movie night.

On Sunday I'm up early again, only this time it's to meet my family for coffee at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Westlake Village (my home town). I don't know when I'll be able to make it out to California again so I make sure to savor the moment with them. That afternoon the boyfriend and I head to lunch at The Stand  in Encino for some amazing hamburgers. I indulge in their bacon and blue cheese version, while he gobbles up their mushroom swiss variety. 

And, as if I didn't eat enough this trip, I couldn't very well leave California without some authentic Mexican food. I will return to Boston slightly heavier than when I left, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Northeastern University, GE Aviation, it's staff or employees.