Employee Spotlight: New Opportunity Leads to Rewarding Career Change
Employee Spotlight: New Opportunity Leads to Rewarding Career Change
Ashlie Bangs never imagined a career in Quality was in her future. “I didn’t even know this path existed four years ago,” she said.
Ashlie first joined Crane A&E's West Caldwell Site as an Administrative Assistant in November 2020. Her potential quickly caught the eye of the site director, who invited her to contribute to the Material Review Board. This opportunity paved the way for her to become a Continuous Improvement Analyst in the Crane Business Systems department, where she fell in love with Quality. Today, she’s the Senior Quality Analyst and Chair of the Material Review Board.
In her role, Ashlie enjoys a variety of tasks that allow her to combine developing automated reports and applications with hands-on activities. West Caldwell is one of Crane A&E’s two locations that houses the company’s Microwave solutions, and her work there is “never boring,” she said, emphasizing that while there is a general flow to her day, every day is different depending on the challenges and projects that arise within the Material Review Board.
She attributes the growth opportunities she’s experienced at Crane A&E to the encouragement of management. “I always made it known that I’m interested in doing whatever they are able to give me, and so they’ve always given me the chance to try new things,” she explained. “Once I try new things, my managers try to find me a home where I can really flourish and do what I’m good at.”
The support of those around her was especially important because Ashlie didn’t come from an engineering background or the manufacturing industry. “I was learning from the ground up from day one and so having people take the time to sit down and teach me has been really, really beneficial,” Ashlie said.
— Ashlie Bangs, Sr. Quality Analyst
Her commitment to learning and growing aligns perfectly with Crane A&E’s value of continuous improvement. “As someone who has held diverse roles, [I believe] continuously growing is so important, Ashlie said. “I think it’s always worth putting your best foot forward and seeing what you can learn about the things around you, to see if there’s something you can do to improve.”
In the future, Ashlie aims to step into a managerial role. To prepare herself, she has taken advantage of Crane A&E’s resources, including Dale Carnegie leadership training and AS9100 Lead Auditor training. She appreciates how Crane A&E ensures opportunities for employees to learn and grow by making courses readily available, helping her further develop her technical and leadership skills.
Having been in three departments in four years, Ashlie offers this advice: “Make sure to ask a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid of not knowing something because everyone has to start somewhere. Have confidence in the things you know and seek guidance in the things you don’t.” Her willingness to learn and adapt has been a significant factor in her success.
Ashlie also credits Crane A&E’s positive work environment for helping her thrive. “There’s a lot of camaraderie and everyone works well together as a team,” she said. “We all want the company to succeed.