Life can take you in some pretty strange and wonderful directions. Just over six years ago, I had just graduated from college with a degree in psychology and sociology and not much of an idea of how I would use them to make a living. I had a business card that was given to me by a recruiter who had visited the campus in my senior year, so I called, had my interview and was hired as a temp. I expected to work here through the holiday season, and maybe for a few months in 2012 while I found something in my field. After all, this was the kind of customer service job I had before I went to college. In fact, it paid significantly less than the job I had before I went back to school full time in 2007. However, I took an interest in the company and my role in it, and it allowed me to grow.
Now, as I leave
Ohio, I can only look back on the past six years and smile. The temp gig that was supposed to last a few months until I could find something better has turned into a career as a trainer. I just worked with one of the largest corporations in the world to develop a piece of software, and a training program for that software, and I will be facilitating the training for this software to a team of over 100 brand ambassadors.
I can't say I ever saw any of this coming, but I am very grateful that it did.
This is where I've been spending a good portion of my time over the past few days. It's the
Solon, Ohio corporate campus of
Nestle USA. I cannot possibly say enough positive things about this company, who I feel have truly taken me under their wing and allowed me to develop into my best possible self. Before we left, they took my team on a tour of the facility.
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This is the front of the building. |
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This is the rear of the building with the parking lot. |
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This is the view from the front door on the ground level. The Stouffer's plant on Harper Road is on the left. |
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The center of the building is open from the ground level to the ceiling. Each floor of the building has a walkway around this center. The glass wall is at the front of the building. |
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This is the view of the ground level looking in from the front door. |
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This is the same area as the photo above, but as seen from the second floor. |
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When you walk past the small seating area on the ground level, you come to a seating area with a large wipe off wall. Team members are encouraged to share their favorite places that they can visit on a single tank of gas. This is a pretty cool idea that I'd like to bring back to Wilkes-Barre. |
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We did the vast majority of our work this week in this glass room on the roof. |
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As you might imagine, there is a lot of branding and company slogans hanging on the wall throughout the facility. The "five behaviors to live by" are a solid way to conduct business. |
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This is the hub of social media communications for Nestle USA. |
We've got a big challenge ahead of us, but we're off to a great start after this trip. It's been an overwhelmingly positive experience. I hope to have an opportunity to come back soon.