Fort Worth, TX - January 11, 2008 - Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, conducted Textron's first Engineering Bootcamp January 2-7. Ten junior-level engineering students from The University of Texas (UT) participated in this action-packed event. The students were competitively selected and equally split between aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering majors. They were assisted by six "advocates," Bell engineers who graduated from UT less than three years ago, and the Engineering & XworX Technical Fellows.
Students were given a project to design a flight control system for attitude independent aircraft. At the conclusion of the bootcamp, the students briefed Bell's leadership team on their approach. Collin Zreet, UT student from Dallas, Texas, described how the team learned and applied Textron Six Sigma tools to create the design concept. Joseph Garcia, UT student from Puerto Rico, demonstrated the recommended concept using a prototype built by the students.
Elaine Vaught, Bell senior vice president, Engineering & XworX, credits this type of recruiting strategy with building excitement for Bell Helicopter, Textron, and the aerospace industry at the right time in the college experience. "We see university students making decisions about where to start a career by the time they become seniors. If we wait to attract seniors to Bell Helicopter or any Textron business, we are too late," Vaught stated.
The entire experience was planned and managed by 'drill sergeants' Carolyn Tobin and Scott Harris. Tobin is Bell's director of Proposal & Business Development Processes, and Harris is the Technology Innovation manager. They accompanied the group from 7 AM until after 11 PM every day and witnessed many first-time experiences. The group toured five facilities in the Fort Worth area, flew to Amarillo to see the assembly facility for the V-22 and H-1 aircraft, rode in a helicopter, and completed the Bell product familiarization course.
Lauren Moeller, UT student from Katy, Texas, summed it up when she said, "Everybody we met at Bell has the 'best' job. The bootcamp experience gave me the confidence that my 'best' job could be here as well. Thank you, thank you, thank you from me and my team for giving us the experience of a lifetime."
Dick Millman, Bell's president and CEO, told the students that the bootcamp was as valuable for Bell as it was for them. "We learn from your reaction to what you are experiencing and from your questions. You provided a fresh set of eyes."
About Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tilt rotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company operating in 33 countries with approximately 37,000 employees in continuing operations. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. More information is available at www.textron.com.
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