“Don’t take the job just to have one.”
— Bill Belson
Today was our first official off-campus day! We took a day trip to Bruno, a family-owned company that specializes in independent living aids located in Oconomowoc.
I have to admit, I was a bit nervous at first. Trying to look proper and be on time isn’t exactly rocket science, but on the drive over with Jackson, Leslye, and Peyton, I felt some nerves in my stomach. I’ve met with businesses before in my Marketing Principles class (which actually came in handy today, as they talking about using RFID technology, and I met with a business involved in that market), but this was much more professional.
Once we arrived, I started to get excited. Stepping into Building 3, the first thing I saw was our protective eye-wear lining the front desk, and of course, I had to take a quick picture. We were ushered back into a conference room, and then things got started.
Bill was our main contact today, and he was incredible. Even though he joked about people falling asleep to his voice, my eyes were open the whole time. You could just tell how much he cared. He himself said he thought it would be a 15-minute presentation, and with our questions, it turned into an hour.
I cannot even imagine being with the same company for over 30 years! I really hope to find something like that where I believe in what I’m doing and am really passionate about it.
Once we got into the actual tour part, it was interesting to see how actual production is handled. Bill mentioned their customization and timetables, and it’s astounding to me that they can build and ship a custom product in such a short amount of time. Also, with the implementation of Lean Manufacturing, I cannot believe they went from four turnovers a year to 23 last year. That’s insane!
We saw their employees in all capacities and even their automated welding systems. All the while, people were zooming around in their forklifts distributing items that were needed for production. It’s like watching a dance (a potentially dangerous one). Being on the production floor was certainly special, and you get a feel for how fast-paced things are.
My favorite part was watching the welders because all of the lights and sparks give off an eerie glow. Something about it is magical to watch. They turn raw material into something useful that has a purpose.
Also, I loved the projectors they use when wrapping and boxing components. It’s such a simple idea to project a template to reduce human error, and yet, I never thought about it like that.
Other than the ideas regarding efficiency, what I’ll really take away from our time at Bruno is something Bill said. It was something along the lines of, “don’t take the job just to have one.”
I want to care about what I do, and he so clearly was passionate about his job. That’s what really matters, and as he said, you end up spending more time at work than with your friends and family. I’ll keep that in mind.
Jenna Goes to Sweden 