Over the past 3 1/2 years I have had the pleasure of being a Student Process Improvement Coordinator (PIC) in the Office of Continuous Improvement here at Michigan Tech. This position has been the most rewarding experience of my college career and I can’t thank my co-workers, supervisors and peers enough.
I came into this position not knowing anything about lean or continuous improvement and I never dreamt I would become so passionate about it. My journey began with a basic understanding of the tools and concepts; lots of reading, YouTube videos, and observations. I was fortunate enough to attend the FMCS Grant Facilitator Training shortly after I began which allowed me to practice hands-on with other members of the campus community. I eventually felt comfortable and confident enough to co-facilitate improvement events and realized I had found my calling. I was able to understand how utilizing these tools/principles can transform work environments in ways I never imagined, and how engaging the people who do the work is extremely empowering and truly makes a difference in workplace culture.
Improving is now something that is a part of my life; whether I am helping a team improve a process, improving myself, or helping to create/improve a culture of continuous improvement, I have grown to love every aspect of this work. I will be starting my career as a Business Systems Analyst for Amway’s Global Procurement Technology and Analytics team where I will utilize my knowledge and experience in continuous improvement to create a culture of CI within the Procurement space at Amway. I know that this opportunity has presented itself to me primarily because of this position and the skills I have gained in being a PIC; something I will be eternally grateful for. I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this job and can’t wait to see where Michigan Tech’s lean journey leads.
Kaylee, this is a very nice reflection on your growth as a student Process Improvement Coordinator. I know you will be a leader of continuous improvement in your new job at Amway. As Michigan Lean Consortium members and sponsors, I hope you have the opportunity to engage with other improvement-minded professionals across the state in MLC activities. Best of luck to you!
So happy you had this experience, Kaylee! Your passion and enthusiasm for this position and LCI has been inspiring!
Best of luck to you at Amway!