View Eaton Steel Bar Company from the Eyes of Employees
Posted on Jan 30, 2014
As a family owned company that has been in business for 60 years, the Eaton Steel family of companies realizes that our employees are critical to our success. As a company with little employee turnover, we also realize that we need to bring in new, young talent as well. Our Internship programs, along with our recruiting efforts, have proven successful in this endeavor. Below are some of the view point of recent, full time, hires that came from our Internship and Recruiting Programs.
Jenna Sheahan- Purchasing Agent
Upon completing my internship at Eaton Steel Bar Company, I felt excited and motivated to use the experience and knowledge I gained in the 3 short months I interned towards my classes in my last semester at Central Michigan University. There was so much my internship taught me that a classroom could not, I was hopeful to use that knowledge as a full-time employee at Eaton Steel after graduation. I was most excited to contribute to the 60 year success of a company whose roots started and stayed in Detroit, and services not only many other thriving Michigan-based companies, but also has customers throughout the United States and Canada.
The transition from an intern to a full-time Eaton Steel employee is a relatively smooth one. As an intern, the company puts a lot of trust in your decision making and problem solving abilities; they treat you as an employee and not just as another college intern. The internship program gives you the opportunity to explore the different departments of Eaton Steel to gain a “bigger picture” mentality that has been very beneficial as a full-time employee. My fellow co-workers have also made the transition easier. As a full-time purchasing agent, I am surrounded by people who have been in the steel industry for years. From my internship to present day, my co-workers are always willing to share their knowledge of the steel industry and the history of Eaton Steel.
Dan Fox- Warehouse Scheduler
Coming to Eaton Steel as an intern was entering into uncharted waters for me. This was one of my first internships and I was unfamiliar with the steel industry. But right when I walked through the doors for the first time, I was greeted with a friendly hello and it continued as I went around and was introduced to everyone. Everyone at Eaton Steel is very friendly and always willing to help out whenever they can.
As for the day to day responsibilities of an intern, you are given the ability to move around from different departments such as inside sales, purchasing, and logistics/trucking. Having been a part of all these different departments gave me the full scope of the supply chain that keeps Eaton Steel moving every day.
Having now been with the company for a little over 1 year full time, I can say that the internship program that is used at Eaton Steel has really helped in my transition from intern to full time. Being able to see firsthand of how sales, purchasing, and logistics work has given me the understanding of how each department interact and affect one another.
Eaton Steel has been a great company to start my career with and I can see myself being here for the long-haul!
Amanda Bryant- Inside Sales Representative
As I sat in the interview for the internship position with the Eaton Steel Bar team a little over a year ago, I wondered what it would be like working as an intern in the steel industry. While working through my internship rotation in Purchasing, Sales and Logistics, I was also finishing my last semester at Central Michigan University. I remember thinking one day, would the company offer me a position, and where would I want to begin my career?
Shortly after, I graduated and accepted a full-time position as an Inside Sales Representative. I must admit, I never saw myself in sales and I was scared at the thought of cold calling customers and talking to them about products I had little knowledge about. After my first month as a full time employee the sales team made me feel at home and I was a lot more accustomed to our products and services. The sensation I got after getting my first customer was one of the most rewarding feelings, and still is to this day.
Every morning I walk into work eager to learn something new about the steel bar industry. Weather it is a challenging obstacle I may face or a simple task; at the end of the day I am truly thankful to be a part of the “Mighty” Eaton Steel Bar Company!
Sara Pridmore- Accounting Assistant
I was lucky enough to come into Eaton Steel as a full time employee just a year after graduating from college and the experience has been nothing short of amazing. Within my first week here I knew this company was different than any other job, it was actually a family. There was so much support during my first few weeks, being trained in house but also having the opportunity to go to training outside the company. Even though I was not able to rotate through the departments of the company to learn about the different aspects of operation, as our intern program allows, whenever I have questions I know I can ask almost anyone and they will be happy to help me out.
Eaton definitely trusts their employees, both in their knowledge and skills. They promote and encourage personal and corporate growth, making the environment ever changing as they are always striving to do better. In my 6 months here I have experienced that personally a few times when I’ve been given new projects and responsibilities to take on when opportunities arise. Knowing that you are a part of a company that wants to see employees succeed makes it more than just another job; it can actually be a career.