Pamela Blanchette
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grew up, what education do you have, a summary of your resume, did you always want to do what you are doing now, when did you start to become interested in STEM, what internships/ volunteering
Okay, 1st – I grew up moving from State to State, as my Father was in the Military. We lived primarily in the South (VA, MD & Puerto Rico). When my Father retired from the Military, we moved to the New England Area – Massachusetts (MA) in particular. My Father is originally from MA. I went to 3 different High Schools my Freshman Year. At this time in my life, I was very shy and kept to myself. My parents didn’t talk about college either, as I was one of 5 children and they could not afford to pay for college. However, a High School Councilor talked to me and convinced me I really should take a chance and go to college. At that time, I really thought I wanted to be a School Teacher. I applied and got accepted at the local Community College. After about a year, my home life was not very good and I decided to move out on my own. But this move affected my grades, as well as my finances. So I chose to drop out of college for a short time, until I could get my finances in order.
2nd – When I started college, I was working at a local McDonald’s Restaurant, but living on my own, I knew I needed a more steady income. So I applied at a local factory that made electronic Switches. This company opened my eyes to the High Tech field and I also saw that with a Degree in Technology, I could support myself without anyone’s assistance or having to work 2 jobs! The Switch Company also had an Education Reimbursement Program, that I could participate in after I had worked for them for 6 months. This Education program was such that, the company would reimburse me all of my college enrollment & Book fees, as long as I got a grade of a ‘C’ or better! I intended to take FULL advantage of this program. They actually paid for my education! I worked at this switch company for 10 years and throughout the years, I slowly worked my way up from the Production floor worker and into the High-Tech Testing Lab. I not only received my Associates Degree in Technology (from the local Community College), but I also went on to acquire my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management (after I transferred my credits to a local 4 year college).
3rd – While I started out in College wanting to be a teacher, I found that I really enjoyed the technology field, and I really wanted to become a manager of the Test Lab (at that switch Company). As I progressed in my career at the switch Company, it became clear to me that the company was not doing as well as I had thought, and I knew I needed to look for work elsewhere. While working at the switch company, I used to work with the local UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.) Inspector, who used to come in and witness the tests we performed on the switches. The Switches were UL Recognized for Safety (meeting the UL 1054 Standard Requirements). The local Inspector had informed me he was retiring. I thought this would be a great job, so I inquired about a possible opening, which would be left when this gentleman retired. Well it didn’t take long and I began my career at UL on Feb 13th, 1989! I have been with UL for 26 Years now. I worked my way up from a Technical Field Representative, where I conducted many types of electrical, mechanical and fire tests, to now being the Regional Manager (I now over-see 18 people who are out in the Field conducting these tests). This job with UL is always changing, as the company has gotten involved with many different types of technologies, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, as well as Environmental technology and Cyberspace technology. It has been an excellent career for me..
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My current job, as a Regional Manager for UL, involves the over-site of the Local Field Staff (currently set at 17 people) and all of the customers within the Region (approx.. 14,000) The over-sight of the staff includes monitoring their Training needs, the Quality of inspection/ testing work and auditing of their reports as well as holding weekly / monthly discussions with the staff. I Provide Training as needed, as well as reviewing all staff performances and providing feedback as necessary (good & bad) regarding their performance. For our customers……I am the Customer’s next point of contact (after the Field Staff) where they can discuss their product requirements, tests required as well as finance information (costs of our services, providing sales information) and listening to their concerns (UL testing or concerns with our Field Staff). I am also responsible for bringing in new Revenue (Sales) and monitoring the costs of our services.
I have also been assigned the Operations Manager for UL Qualified Firestop Contractors Program. In this function I have had to learn a lot about Firestopping Systems (Fire Rated Walls , Floors, etc.) as well as the products that are used to construct these Fire-rated systems. The program involves the Auditing of a Contractors Quality Control Program and I ensure our team of Auditors are trained, as well as conduct a good thorough audit. I am also responsible for the growth of the program, to being in new customers each year.
And finally, I still conduct inspections in the field too.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
STEM is used every day in my job. In the Inspection and tests I perform / witness, we need to calculate mechanical / electrical measurements (for ex: measuring the Diameter of a Specific type of UL Listed Wire that needs to have a specific Circular Mil Area, or measuring the DC Resistance of a Cable, and the Leakage current of a Heart Defibrillator. Also math is key in calculating our Return on Investment (ROI) or the Cost of our Revenue (COR) is all programs. If UL spends more than we bring in, then we will not be in business very long.
My degree in Electronic Technology has helped me to understand the Technical pieces of equipment I am inspecting and my Management Degree has helped me to work out budgets for the departments as well as working with all levels of our staff (from those who have just joined UL to those who have been with UL for 30 Years). There are always things that our staff need to learn so they can stay on top of their jobs and the technology.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Good question…..I think today the discrimination / challenges women see at the entry levels, are not as much as we see while trying to move up the Corp. Ladder. When I started with UL back in 1989, I was the only woman in an office of 10 men. I would hear comments about whether I was up for the challenge of going into a dirty messy factories (such as a Roofing plant) – that is not only smelly, but you were sure to have Tar on your shoes and clothes when you left; or into a Factory that manufacture’s Sheet Rock / Wallboard – this too is very dusty and HOT in the summer and Cold in the winter – as they always had their Bay doors open.
I think the most challenging part of my career, was when my husband and I were expecting our first child. I was chastised for going into a manufacturing facility “Like That!” as the guys I worked with would say, meaning that I was pregnant. I made sure there were no chemical problems and there were no other health risks to myself or my unborn child. I was also repeatedly asked if I was going to come back to work after I had my baby. My husband and I were in a position, where I had to come back to work, because my job had the medical benefits for our family. When I explained we had a daycare set up, I was then asked why I was “going to let someone else raise my child”. I would always reply , that the Day Care is exactly that, a Day Care, where they are caring for my child while I’m at work, and that my husband and I will do fine raising our child. I must say., even though I have worked full time while raising our Daughter (who is now 25 years old), she and I have a very close relationship. We made sure to have family time whenever we were together.
Now as a Manager – I see the company is still a predominantly male organization. I also feel I have to work twice as hard as my male colleagues. And the Special jobs/ tasks are given to the guys in the “good ol’boy network”. Everyone knows who they are and there are no women in this special group.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
I think the BEST part of my job is the everyday interaction with our Customers and being to help them out (get them technical answers /solve a problem they are having with a test). The WORST part about my job is sometimes having to Fire an employee. I hold people accountable for their actions (on the job) and if they continue to show poor performance, I feel it is better to let someone go, than to make the remainder of the team pull that persons weight (meaning to do the job that person is supposed to do). But it is not an easy decision, nor is it an easy task to carry out.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I think this is something a lot of people in general are struggling with. In today’s technology age our work is so readily available (via laptops and Smart Phones), it is hard to step away from your job. Also, it doesn’t help when you r office is in your home. My job is one where I tend to travel a lot, approx. 3 out of 5 days a week and sometimes more. But I have made it a point to turn off the computer & I have a separate Work Cell Phone. Yes, I end up carrying 2 phones (one for personal and one for work), but it is worth it, so I can step away from the job on the weekends. There are times though when my job extends into the weekends. In these cases, I try to minimize the amount of time as best I can.
I would suggest making sure you can step away from the job, and do not bring your laptop with you on your vacation.
7. What do you define success as?
I think success is different for each person, some people define success as having a specific amount of money in the bank, others it may be a specific job / position within a company. For me it is liking what I do, as well as earning enough money so that we (my husband & I) can be comfortable. You could then ask me to define comfortable…..well, to me that would mean being able to plan that Disney / Caribbean vacation if I wanted to. Also, I want to feel comfortable, so that when I retire….I don’t “Have to work” in order to keep my house or to eat.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
‘Persistence’, to know what you want and to have the drive / ambition to stay the course, until you have achieved your goals. The road is not a smooth one and you are responsible for your own actions and how your life is led. You may be faced with many decisions along the way. You may find the decision you made was not the best one. So you will need to be persistent and look for another way in which to achieve your goal. I like to say…..”Where there is a will, there is a way”.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
One of my Manager’s at UL (Robert Jones) was kind and sensitive, yet he was also strict. He had such a manner with our staff, that a person could be reprimanded, yet still walk away saying ‘Thank you”. He always made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. He taught me organizational skills and tactfulness in dealing with the staff and our customers.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
The best advice I ever received was that if I wanted anything in life, it was going to take hard work. I knew I wanted my Bachelor’s Degree and I was prepared to work as hard as I needed to achieve it.
- What advice would I give my younger self? – To not be so hard on myself. My Mother was a hard person and I always tried to please her and I felt I wasn’t good enough to be a manager. There were times, where I felt like quitting. But with the encouragement from my husband and close friends, I kept going.
- What one piece of advice would I pass on to you? – You will make mistakes along the way. Stay positive and learn from those mistakes, and carry on. Don’t give-up on your dreams.
Okay, 1st – I grew up moving from State to State, as my Father was in the Military. We lived primarily in the South (VA, MD & Puerto Rico). When my Father retired from the Military, we moved to the New England Area – Massachusetts (MA) in particular. My Father is originally from MA. I went to 3 different High Schools my Freshman Year. At this time in my life, I was very shy and kept to myself. My parents didn’t talk about college either, as I was one of 5 children and they could not afford to pay for college. However, a High School Councilor talked to me and convinced me I really should take a chance and go to college. At that time, I really thought I wanted to be a School Teacher. I applied and got accepted at the local Community College. After about a year, my home life was not very good and I decided to move out on my own. But this move affected my grades, as well as my finances. So I chose to drop out of college for a short time, until I could get my finances in order.
2nd – When I started college, I was working at a local McDonald’s Restaurant, but living on my own, I knew I needed a more steady income. So I applied at a local factory that made electronic Switches. This company opened my eyes to the High Tech field and I also saw that with a Degree in Technology, I could support myself without anyone’s assistance or having to work 2 jobs! The Switch Company also had an Education Reimbursement Program, that I could participate in after I had worked for them for 6 months. This Education program was such that, the company would reimburse me all of my college enrollment & Book fees, as long as I got a grade of a ‘C’ or better! I intended to take FULL advantage of this program. They actually paid for my education! I worked at this switch company for 10 years and throughout the years, I slowly worked my way up from the Production floor worker and into the High-Tech Testing Lab. I not only received my Associates Degree in Technology (from the local Community College), but I also went on to acquire my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management (after I transferred my credits to a local 4 year college).
3rd – While I started out in College wanting to be a teacher, I found that I really enjoyed the technology field, and I really wanted to become a manager of the Test Lab (at that switch Company). As I progressed in my career at the switch Company, it became clear to me that the company was not doing as well as I had thought, and I knew I needed to look for work elsewhere. While working at the switch company, I used to work with the local UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.) Inspector, who used to come in and witness the tests we performed on the switches. The Switches were UL Recognized for Safety (meeting the UL 1054 Standard Requirements). The local Inspector had informed me he was retiring. I thought this would be a great job, so I inquired about a possible opening, which would be left when this gentleman retired. Well it didn’t take long and I began my career at UL on Feb 13th, 1989! I have been with UL for 26 Years now. I worked my way up from a Technical Field Representative, where I conducted many types of electrical, mechanical and fire tests, to now being the Regional Manager (I now over-see 18 people who are out in the Field conducting these tests). This job with UL is always changing, as the company has gotten involved with many different types of technologies, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, as well as Environmental technology and Cyberspace technology. It has been an excellent career for me..
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My current job, as a Regional Manager for UL, involves the over-site of the Local Field Staff (currently set at 17 people) and all of the customers within the Region (approx.. 14,000) The over-sight of the staff includes monitoring their Training needs, the Quality of inspection/ testing work and auditing of their reports as well as holding weekly / monthly discussions with the staff. I Provide Training as needed, as well as reviewing all staff performances and providing feedback as necessary (good & bad) regarding their performance. For our customers……I am the Customer’s next point of contact (after the Field Staff) where they can discuss their product requirements, tests required as well as finance information (costs of our services, providing sales information) and listening to their concerns (UL testing or concerns with our Field Staff). I am also responsible for bringing in new Revenue (Sales) and monitoring the costs of our services.
I have also been assigned the Operations Manager for UL Qualified Firestop Contractors Program. In this function I have had to learn a lot about Firestopping Systems (Fire Rated Walls , Floors, etc.) as well as the products that are used to construct these Fire-rated systems. The program involves the Auditing of a Contractors Quality Control Program and I ensure our team of Auditors are trained, as well as conduct a good thorough audit. I am also responsible for the growth of the program, to being in new customers each year.
And finally, I still conduct inspections in the field too.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
STEM is used every day in my job. In the Inspection and tests I perform / witness, we need to calculate mechanical / electrical measurements (for ex: measuring the Diameter of a Specific type of UL Listed Wire that needs to have a specific Circular Mil Area, or measuring the DC Resistance of a Cable, and the Leakage current of a Heart Defibrillator. Also math is key in calculating our Return on Investment (ROI) or the Cost of our Revenue (COR) is all programs. If UL spends more than we bring in, then we will not be in business very long.
My degree in Electronic Technology has helped me to understand the Technical pieces of equipment I am inspecting and my Management Degree has helped me to work out budgets for the departments as well as working with all levels of our staff (from those who have just joined UL to those who have been with UL for 30 Years). There are always things that our staff need to learn so they can stay on top of their jobs and the technology.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Good question…..I think today the discrimination / challenges women see at the entry levels, are not as much as we see while trying to move up the Corp. Ladder. When I started with UL back in 1989, I was the only woman in an office of 10 men. I would hear comments about whether I was up for the challenge of going into a dirty messy factories (such as a Roofing plant) – that is not only smelly, but you were sure to have Tar on your shoes and clothes when you left; or into a Factory that manufacture’s Sheet Rock / Wallboard – this too is very dusty and HOT in the summer and Cold in the winter – as they always had their Bay doors open.
I think the most challenging part of my career, was when my husband and I were expecting our first child. I was chastised for going into a manufacturing facility “Like That!” as the guys I worked with would say, meaning that I was pregnant. I made sure there were no chemical problems and there were no other health risks to myself or my unborn child. I was also repeatedly asked if I was going to come back to work after I had my baby. My husband and I were in a position, where I had to come back to work, because my job had the medical benefits for our family. When I explained we had a daycare set up, I was then asked why I was “going to let someone else raise my child”. I would always reply , that the Day Care is exactly that, a Day Care, where they are caring for my child while I’m at work, and that my husband and I will do fine raising our child. I must say., even though I have worked full time while raising our Daughter (who is now 25 years old), she and I have a very close relationship. We made sure to have family time whenever we were together.
Now as a Manager – I see the company is still a predominantly male organization. I also feel I have to work twice as hard as my male colleagues. And the Special jobs/ tasks are given to the guys in the “good ol’boy network”. Everyone knows who they are and there are no women in this special group.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
I think the BEST part of my job is the everyday interaction with our Customers and being to help them out (get them technical answers /solve a problem they are having with a test). The WORST part about my job is sometimes having to Fire an employee. I hold people accountable for their actions (on the job) and if they continue to show poor performance, I feel it is better to let someone go, than to make the remainder of the team pull that persons weight (meaning to do the job that person is supposed to do). But it is not an easy decision, nor is it an easy task to carry out.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I think this is something a lot of people in general are struggling with. In today’s technology age our work is so readily available (via laptops and Smart Phones), it is hard to step away from your job. Also, it doesn’t help when you r office is in your home. My job is one where I tend to travel a lot, approx. 3 out of 5 days a week and sometimes more. But I have made it a point to turn off the computer & I have a separate Work Cell Phone. Yes, I end up carrying 2 phones (one for personal and one for work), but it is worth it, so I can step away from the job on the weekends. There are times though when my job extends into the weekends. In these cases, I try to minimize the amount of time as best I can.
I would suggest making sure you can step away from the job, and do not bring your laptop with you on your vacation.
7. What do you define success as?
I think success is different for each person, some people define success as having a specific amount of money in the bank, others it may be a specific job / position within a company. For me it is liking what I do, as well as earning enough money so that we (my husband & I) can be comfortable. You could then ask me to define comfortable…..well, to me that would mean being able to plan that Disney / Caribbean vacation if I wanted to. Also, I want to feel comfortable, so that when I retire….I don’t “Have to work” in order to keep my house or to eat.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
‘Persistence’, to know what you want and to have the drive / ambition to stay the course, until you have achieved your goals. The road is not a smooth one and you are responsible for your own actions and how your life is led. You may be faced with many decisions along the way. You may find the decision you made was not the best one. So you will need to be persistent and look for another way in which to achieve your goal. I like to say…..”Where there is a will, there is a way”.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
One of my Manager’s at UL (Robert Jones) was kind and sensitive, yet he was also strict. He had such a manner with our staff, that a person could be reprimanded, yet still walk away saying ‘Thank you”. He always made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. He taught me organizational skills and tactfulness in dealing with the staff and our customers.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
The best advice I ever received was that if I wanted anything in life, it was going to take hard work. I knew I wanted my Bachelor’s Degree and I was prepared to work as hard as I needed to achieve it.
- What advice would I give my younger self? – To not be so hard on myself. My Mother was a hard person and I always tried to please her and I felt I wasn’t good enough to be a manager. There were times, where I felt like quitting. But with the encouragement from my husband and close friends, I kept going.
- What one piece of advice would I pass on to you? – You will make mistakes along the way. Stay positive and learn from those mistakes, and carry on. Don’t give-up on your dreams.