IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2008 - 32

IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

TI will have a long run as a top company
for women to work.

Textron Defense Systems
Textron Defense Systems Corp., a Textron
Inc. company headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, has been providing
innovative solutions to the defense,
homeland security,
and aerospace communities for over 50
years. Known for its
precision smart weapons, intelligent battlefield and surveillance systems, software
solutions, aircraft control components,
piston engines, armored vehicles, and
unmanned aircraft systems, the Textron
Systems family includes AAI, HR Textron,
Lycoming Engines, Overwatch Tactical
Operations, Overwatch Geospatial Operations, Textron Defense Systems, and Textron Marine and Land Systems. Working
as both a prime contractor and
supplier/partner, Textron Systems plays a
major role in the preparedness of United
States' armed forces and its allies.
The Textron Defense Systems' (TDS)
women's network was established in
July 2005. One hundred and twenty-five

women, with the support of senior management, worked together to identify
important topics of interest to women
in the workplace. Through outreach
efforts across the company, such as a
survey and organized focus groups, the
company uncovered that expanding
career opportunities, job flexibility, and
professional development were of
most importance. A
steering committee
of 19 volunteers was established to
maintain engagement with these topics
and partner with senior management to
move team recommendations and activities forward.
The women's network has established open communications with senior management and through this
exposure its priorities have raised
awareness and aligned with company
goals of diversity and inclusiveness,
according to Deb Valley, director of program management integration at TDS
and chair of the women's network
steering committee. The network is
built on trust among its members and
senior management and it allows both

TEXTRON SYSTEMS

explains Pulley. "And we now have a broad
range of networks that all employees can
get involved in to foster an inclusive environment across the company." To help all
employees continue to advance, TI focuses
on development opportunities, mentoring,
and leadership programs.
In a typically male-dominated industry, the success these policies have had
with women is notable. Pulley says she
frequently hears feedback from training
course attendees who say that the programs helped them realize that they
could do more. She's also gotten positive
responses to flexible workplace arrangements, citing one story where a female
engineer worked remotely for two weeks,
enabling her to spend precious time with
ill family members. Currently, TI boasts
a U.S. workforce that is about 23%
women and, Pulley adds proudly, "these
women fill a variety of significant roles.
Twenty-seven percent of our company
officers are women, while four of our 11
board members are women." With such
support of women, it is no surprise that,
in addition to this WIE list, TI has been
on Working Mother magazine's 100 Best
Companies list, Fortune magazine's 100
Best Companies to Work For list, and the
National Association for Female Executives' Top Companies for Executive
Women list.
TI not only focuses on its own
employees but on development for its
communities as well. The company
makes a concerted effort to promote educational development opportunities for
students, especially girls, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The Women of TI Fund, set up by some of
the company's female executives, encourages employees to pool their donations to
the "High-Tech High Heels" strategic initiative, which sponsors training programs
and camps for girls and their teachers to
develop STEM capabilities and dispel gender stereotypes. With extensive work-life
support for present employees and such a
dedicated investment to future science
and engineering professionals, it seems

Textron Defense Systems, which provides defense and aerospace technology
solutions, engages its employees through surveys and focus groups.

WINTER 2008/2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2008