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Published on October 23, 2024
Panorama of BIS-ITSA manufacturing panel
Eastern’s Business Information Systems - IT Students of America (BIS-ITSA) club hosted a panel event featuring alumni from top Connecticut advanced manufacturing companies on Oct. 23, including Pratt & Whitney, SPIROL and Electric Boat. The event had more than 50 student attendees and offered a unique networking opportunity over pizza and refreshments.
Invited were BIS alumni Mike Trapp, a supply chain manager at Pratt & Whitney; Henry Bigl, a business intelligence developer at SPIROL; Ryan Conley, a systems engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat and John Conley, a commodity integration manager Raytheon Pratt & Whitney. The alumni shared insights into their roles and highlighted how courses at Eastern, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (BIS 430), Agile (BIS 437) and Business Database Management (SQL) prepared them for success in their careers.
The panel emphasized the importance of diversifying skill sets, encouraging students to step out of their comfort zones by joining unfamiliar clubs or courses. They discussed the significance of balancing technical and soft skills, particularly in roles that require collaboration across various fields. Company leadership development programs (LDPs), including those in various types of engineering, business and applied user groups, were highlighted as essential for students seeking growth, especially in companies with rotational roles, as these programs help navigate shifting technologies while enhancing both technical and social skill sets.
The event emphasized the importance of embracing risks, staying adaptable to new technologies and remaining open to new opportunities. It was made clear that there is no single path to career success. The panelists collectively stressed the importance of technical skills, such as data management and data wrangling alongside soft skills like communication and resilience under pressure.
Overall, the event provided valuable insights into opportunities in advanced manufacturing and operations for BIS students and attendees enjoyed networking with the speakers.
