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Inga Brathwaite of TMMTX Finding Fulfillment as a Quality Leader I nga Brathwaite is more than an assistant manager in Quality Engineering at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (TMMTX). She is an example of what can happen when caring professionals reach out to students to educate and inspire. “I grew up in Dallas, and during my high school years, there were several people in the NSBE chapter who would come to our school and offer tutoring on Saturdays. That led me to participate in a ‘day of engineering’ program with the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Alliance of Minority Engineers (TAME). The TAME engineers came to our school and helped us with math and science. One of the engineers, Al Alexander, was instrumental in piquing my interest in engineering. Seeing those engineers take the time and effort to help us, along with the strong “Our culture is driven by respect and continuous improvement. We problem solve, but we respect people as we problem solve.” support of my parents, made me want to become an engineer,” she says. Brathwaite did not begin her career with Toyota but worked for another automotive manufacturer as a group leader. “When I got the opportunity to work for Toyota, I moved from Dallas to Evansville, Ind., where I started, because I wanted to work for Toyota. They’re the leader in the industry,” she notes. “Toyota sets the bar for quality, so why not work for the leader?” Her initial experience with Toyota was somewhat surprising. “It was totally opposite of the culture I came from. At Toyota, we do more with less and always pride ourselves on continuously improving our processes. Also, the focus is not to blame the next person or finger point. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. It just means something in the process is broken, and we need to fix it,” she says. “When I started out in Toyota in 2001, I was a group leader in Assembly. I loved being a group leader, because the team members have a lot of 14 • nsbe magazine • convention 2013 pride in their work, and I enjoy problem solving,” she says. After two and a half years, she moved on to Quality Engineering, taking advantage of her mechanical engineering expertise. As her career continued to evolve, she moved to Texas to work with the developmental group, launching the new-generation Tundra. Afterward, she worked with the body quality engineering group for two years and then was promoted to assistant manager. Toyota training programs, including leadership training, helped Brathwaite advance her career. “I attended many leadership training classes covering a wide range of topics — situational leadership, diversity skills training, developing team members and also several personality development classes — learning how to communicate effectively with others,” she says. Another aid in developing her leadership skills was participation in one of Toyota’s business partnering groups: the African American Collaborative. “The groups allow people with like backgrounds to get together for training, communicate common problems and determine solutions,” she says. “It also gives me a chance to mentor some of the group members.” In fact, Brathwaite has a formal mentor at Toyota who “validates my concerns and helps me discover innovative solutions by thinking outside of the box. My mentor experience is excellent. Toyota can provide a mentor for any team member who would enjoy the support of an experienced professional.” “One thing that sets Toyota apart is their loyalty to their employees,” she says. “When we had an economic downturn in 2008, Toyota never laid off one person.” Another differentiator she names is Toyota’s integrity and work ethic. “We do what we say and follow through. We are very team-oriented. Our culture is driven by respect for people and continuous improvement. We problem solve, but we respect people as we problem solve.” Brathwaite says that some of the most satisfying aspects of working for Toyota are continuously learning and seeing her ideas come to life. “I am empowered to make a difference,” she says. “My opinion counts.” ■ www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 Convention

2013 Convention
Contents
Your 4.0…Guaranteed!
My Academic Comeback
THE PROGRAMS ZONE
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Inga Brathwaite: Empowered at Toyota
Jerome Brown: Stoking the Engines at Aerojet
Christina Barker: On Track at PGW
Leveling Up
SEEK 2013 Update!
Back to Indiana
NSBE Calendar
Honoring Our Past, Driving Our Community Forward
Passing the Golden Torch
The Professional’s Perspective
Trailblazers
Petroleum Engineering Digs Deep for Talent
Employer Profiles
Celebrating Academic Excellence
Advertisers Index

2013 Convention