By Cindy Duran

What does your dream job look like? What energizes and motivates you? Do you like being the leader of a group? In three to five years, what role do you see yourself in?

If you know the answers to these questions, you’re on the right track when it comes to career development planning. If you don’t, there has never been a better time to start thinking about your professional goals for the future.

At the beginning of the fiscal year, Rockwell Collins introduced a comprehensive toolkit to assist employees with career development planning. These resources – which were developed in response to feedback from our Voice of the Employee survey – can help you identify ways to grow in your current role and, if desired, prepare for new opportunities within our organization.

“We know that when our people are developing, they’re realizing their full potential,” said Rod Dooley, vice president of Talent Management and Diversity. “This then enables our company to realize its full potential, so we want to do everything possible to help employees reach their development goals.”

If you’re new to the idea of career planning, or if it’s been a while since you updated your career plan, a good place to start is with the four-step career development process under the “Career & Benefits” tab on Rockwell Collins Online.

At first glance, it may seem like a lot to think through; but you don’t have to make all the decisions by yourself. The process was designed for you to be able to obtain advice from your leader, a mentor or someone familiar with your role.

In the next pages, we’ve profiled four employees who already have gone through the decisions that come with each step. Of course, their career development plans – like any ongoing process – are ever changing and never final.

Step 1

Gregg Ballew, manager of the Avionics Service Center in Atlanta, Ga., identified early in his career that someday he wanted to lead a service area. Photo by Ron Sherman, Roswell, Ga.

Identify what you want to experience or where you want to be in three to five years.

When Gregg Ballew started as a third-shift service center technician at our company in 1990, he hoped to someday be a manager.

While he wasn’t sure what career moves would come next, he knew what experiences he needed over time in order to achieve his long-term goal.

“I had the willingness to accept new roles and assignments with increased levels of accountability and responsibility,” said Ballew. “I was able to move out of my comfort zone and do things that I was not sure that I could do. Career development is a long journey, and you need to go out and take risks.”

Today, his past job experiences – such as coordinating test equipment repair and calibration, implementing information technology systems, solving problems for customers, and supervising small groups of people – have prepared him for his current role as manager of the Avionics Service Center in Atlanta, Ga. In addition, the relationships Ballew has developed over time with customers, mentors, leaders and other employees have helped him identify and pursue new opportunities.

“The development of key relationships with people is essential for success,” he said. “I have developed an understanding of the business from the customer’s viewpoint, and I’ve found that to be critical. Also, every manager I have worked for at Rockwell Collins has given me opportunities to grow.”

And even though Ballew is where he’s always wanted to be, he hasn’t stopped planning.

“My PR&DP is focused on next steps for moving into a director position,” said Ballew, who is currently working on a master’s degree in business administration. “I’m preparing to go to the next level.”

Step 2

Lissa Bern, a senior systems engineer in Design Engineering Support in Commercial Systems, will celebrate her five-year anniversary with our company soon. For her, it’s a good time to assess what she needs to obtain future career goals. Photo by Paul Marlow, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

As a high school student, Lissa Bern knew she wanted to pursue a career in an aviation-related field.

And in 2005, after completing a master’s degree in safety science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she was able to do just that. Bern started at Rockwell Collins as a safety engineer, and was later promoted to a senior systems engineer in Design Engineering Support in Commercial Systems.

“Pursuing something you have an interest in or some sort of skill you would like to develop helps you determine what you want to attain,” she said.

Now, with nearly five years of experience at our company, she’s assessing her current knowledge, skills and abilities and determining what she needs to meet future career goals.

“The process I have developed is my own, which makes it work for me,” said Bern. “It also helps to surround yourself with knowledgeable people who can guide you in the right direction and provide you with useful resources.”

Step 3

Willie Croghan, principal marketing manager in Government Systems, believes it’s important to keep an open mind as you’re planning for the future because sometimes it’s easier for other people – such as leaders, colleagues and mentors – to see your potential. Photo by Paul Marlow, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Plan what activities will help you to prepare.

Willie Croghan, principal marketing manager in Government Systems, often has had help planning the next step in his career.

“I’m not any smarter than anyone else,” said Croghan, “but I’ve been smart enough to listen to what leaders and peers have suggested to me.”

When Croghan started at Rockwell Collins in 1988 in the Information Technology department for Commercial Systems, he never imagined that with a degree in computer science, he would someday be part of the Government Systems marketing team.

But, with guidance from leaders, colleagues and mentors, he’s been able to blend the experience he’s gained at our company and in the United States Army Reserves to move into a role that is focused on marketing and development.

“You need to be ready when opportunity knocks,” said Croghan. “Career development is about extending beyond your current skills and knowledge – not how many times you’re promoted.”

Step 4

Sharron Dennis, a principal business integration analyst in e-Business, ensured she had support from her managers to execute her career
development plan by aligning her personal career interests with our company’s interests.

Photo by Brandon Jennings, Richardson, Texas

Execute your plan!

Shortly after Sharron Dennis started in our Quality organization in Dallas, Texas, in 1981, she became interested in Visual Basic applications programming and developing small applications systems.

It was then that she knew she wanted to pursue a career in computer science. But with an associate’s degree in fashion merchandising, her career goal wasn’t easy to execute.

Still, for the next 13 years, she went to college at night while working for our company. During that time, she also networked with Information Technology professionals and made her career goal known to others.

“I was very fortunate to have managers that allowed me to venture and undertake projects that were not only of interest, but helped me grow professionally,” said Dennis, who moved from Quality to Component Applications Engineering in 1984. “Many of these managers continue to provide me with professional advice and guidance today.”

After she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Texas at Dallas, she became a member of the Dallas Product Data Management (PDM) team, which is now part of e-Business. Today, she is a principal business integration analyst for PDM.

“My passion for customer satisfaction and process improvement played an important role as I made decisions throughout my career,” said Dennis. “But, I found things that were of interest to me and that would also help the enterprise get to where it was headed.”