Employee Spotlight: Former Intern Finds Second Home at Crane A&E
Employee Spotlight: Former Intern Finds Second Home at Crane A&E
McKenna Bremer didn’t know what to expect when she started as a Human Resources intern at Crane Aerospace & Electronics, but after spending a summer at the Lynnwood, Washington site, she knew her goal was to come back as a full-time employee.
“Crane just felt like home,” McKenna said. “The people I worked with were amazing, and they taught me so much that school couldn’t. I don’t think I could have gotten a better internship.”
As an intern, she worked on multiple projects. She shadowed the entire recruiting process, from opening a requisition to hiring a candidate, and sat in on interviews. She also conducted market research to ensure Crane A&E’s compensation was competitive to industry standards. However, her favorite project involved developing a system for how Crane A&E could cultivate its employees and further their leadership development.
Given her positive experience, returning to Crane A&E as a full-time employee was a natural decision for McKenna. The HR Generalist role wasn’t originally part of the company structure, but it was created after McKenna’s boss requested her return. “This goes to show that Crane is willing to put in the work for the people they believe in,” McKenna said.
— McKenna Bremer, Human Resources Generalist
Now, McKenna splits her time between serving as the primary HR contact for about 100 employees and continuing her leadership development efforts. The latter aspect of her role is where she truly finds her passion. The leadership development initiatives she champions are not just about identifying potential leaders within Crane A&E but helping them reach their fullest potential.
“I think it’s really important for people that know their place at Crane and understand that they're valued,” McKenna explained. “We’re huge on internal development. We know our employees are investing in us, so we want to invest in the employees and give them the opportunities they need to develop.”
Her latest project involves developing a year-long leadership course for newly hired managers and supervisors, consisting of monthly classes. She also hopes to try leading small leadership classes in the future. McKenna loves teaching, and working at Crane A&E has given her opportunities to do the things she loves while directly contributing to the company’s success. McKenna said the chance to do what she loves and grow alongside the company is the biggest reason she wanted to return to Crane A&E.
She added, “People here just like each other. We’re all excited to come to work. For anyone wanting to work here, you're never going to have a boring day; there's always something going on, whether on the business side or the production side.”
McKenna also appreciates the diversity at Crane. “I think it's important to understand where everyone's coming from,” she said. “Crane has so many different backgrounds. We're a really diverse company, which I like. Having an increased representation of women here is great because there aren't a lot of women in the aerospace industry.”
McKenna grew up in Snohomish, a relatively small town, and never left until college. Working at Crane has given her the opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds. The inclusive culture at Crane A&E fosters a wide range of thoughts and ideas, which she values and credits with giving her a better understanding of her colleagues.
“I have so much gratitude that I get to be at a company like this. I love the culture and the people here. I feel like here I can come into work every day and be my full authentic self with my team.”