There has been several times where I have felt satisfied with my job and my accomplishments while working here at GE Aviation.  As co-ops they start us off with a ton of responsibility and treat us as if we were full-time workers that have been here for years.  At first it can be somewhat shocking with the amount of responsibility that we are granted but at the same time if you use it well you can accomplish a lot of work and feel very satisfied.

            There are 4 different buildings where I work, Building A, Building B, Building C, and Building D.  Building C is an assembly building with an area that is called the “packing area.”  This is where they pack engine kits to be shipped out and to be used to make an aircraft engine.  The packing area was cluttered and the space was not being used like it could be.  I was given the task to redo the floor plan of the packing area to make it safer and more functional. 

            Throughout this process I felt the most alive I have ever felt while working at GE.  I did a lot of work on my own and got to use my own intelligence to figure this out.  I made a lot of different models and presented them to my supervisor and then finally I, my supervisor, and the material handlers all decided on one model and the building was changed.  I am very proud with what I helped create and I was very satisfied with myself and my accomplishments.

            There were many factors that helped contribute to my satisfaction and the main one, as I have stated previously, is the amount of responsibility I was given.  This gave me a lot of drive and motivation to complete my job and do it the best I can.  Also the type of work was a huge factor.  Being able to actually think things out on my own and not having to do my usual job of using software application to work with inventory made a huge difference.  I liked that it was different than what I am used to and gave me a variety of responsibilities that helped engage me in my mission.

            I had to directly work with my supervisor and the material handlers while completing this assignment.  There is normally not too much interaction with the material handlers and the co-ops.  This was a nice experience for to directly work with them.   I needed to know their input on what they like and didn’t like about the current layout and I took their suggestions to create the final plan.  I also had to work with my supervisor to show him my progress and took his advice as well while completing this job.

            Encouraging job satisfaction in others would be one of my most important goals as a manager in a future company I will be working for.  Basically I would just make sure my employees know that I see the work they do and I pay attention to the accomplishments that each and every individual does.  Many times managers seem to overlook the small details of assignments and don’t pay much attention to the real work.  This can make employees frustrated that they are not being noticed.  I would do my best to let everyone know they are appreciated and are never taken for granted.