A bet on potential pays off for GE Appliances

Back in 2019, GE Appliances placed a bet on potential when it hired Jordan Julius, a 26-year-old engineer with limited experience, to design the manufacturing process and a new assembly line for the appliance maker’s factory in Selmer, Tennessee. The hiring was part of an initiative at GEA to add younger and diverse individuals to the advanced manufacturing team. This year, that bet paid off when the new line became operational.

For Julius, the job was a homecoming of sorts to the company that inspired here to become an engineer. In 3rd grade, she saw her first ever assembly line at Appliance Park, the headquarters for GE Appliances in Louisville, Ky. where her uncle worked. It changed her life. She was so fascinated with how the parts and equipment formed the appliances going down the line that she wrote in a school report that one day she was going to be an engineer who designed equipment just like her uncle.

Fast forward to 2019, and Jordan’s dream came true. She applied and was hired at GEA to work on the new Zoneline® vertical terminal air conditioner (VTAC) line being put in at Monogram Refrigeration in Selmer, Tennessee. “I always knew I wanted to work on new product development,” said Jordan. “When I saw the opening for the advanced manufacturing (AME) team and then got the job to be the lead for the new VTAC launch, it was huge for me . . . a real honor. I really didn’t expect something like this until I was in my thirties and had more experience.”

Watch a video to learn more about Jordan.

Learn more about the plant expansion in Tennessee.

The product was being insourced from Mexico, which meant Jordan was able to design the assembly line layout with a clean slate. The launch was not without challenges as the pandemic slowed down progress and created obstacles such limited travel to the plant and equipment delays that meant new processes had to be developed. “I had to think outside the box more so much more than I ever thought I could, but with the help of the Monogram team, we did it,” said Jordan.

The new assembly line began in mid-June with approximately 30 new employees building the VTAC products. Being able to design a manufacturing process that was good for operators was also a focus for Jordan. “During the pandemic, I was able to work the assembly line when we needed additional labor,” said Jordan. “The experience helped me see from an operator’s perspective how the parts went together and how to make improvements that I might not have seen otherwise.”

For the AME team at GE Appliances, Jordan’s role on the team is about preparing for the future and developing the talent pipeline in the Manufacturing engineering organization. “The AME team is getting older, so we’re actively looking for engineers that have huge potential for growth and development – even if they don’t have the years of experience typically required for a big investment project like the new line in Selmer,” said Spence Ledford, Senior Manager, Advanced Manufacturing for GE Appliances. “Jordan had the desire and interest to learn and the right personality and attitude to understand her weaknesses and ask for help when she needed to bridge the gap.”

In addition to her formal education at the University of North Texas, Jordan also had two co-op experiences at GE Appliances while in college in field quality and service parts sourcing that helped her know the culture would be a good fit for her personally. And the friendly welcome at Monogram Refrigeration has only reinforced her feelings for the company. “The people act like family down here, and they have your back,” said Jordan.

For Jordan, the trust and support has been readily available along the way. “It was a little nerve wracking because there was a big age difference with many of my counterparts who have a lot of knowledge, but throughout the program I’ve gotten so much support from people like Spence willing to mentor me,” said Jordan.

For Spence and the AME team, Jordan also represents an opportunity to bring more women engineers to the business who are interested in technical and mechanical roles to help the business develop new technology, processes and assembly lines for its nine U.S. plants. “Traditionally the AME field has been predominately male, but we need a more diverse perspective as we create GE Appliances’ smart factories of the future,” said Spence. “If you look at the same problem the same way every time, you miss half of the potential solutions. Having a diverse workforce is a win for the busines.”

As the VTACs are now rolling off the line, Jordan’s been thinking about the support from her mentors who have promoted and encouraged her and what she can do to help others. “I’ve reached one of my dreams, and now I want to give back and support others the way they’ve supported me,” said Jordan.