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Originally published on Saint-Gobain North America LinkedIn

For people entering the workforce with a degree in engineering, one of the best ways to start a career is through an early career program such as Saint-Gobain North America’s Essentials of Manufacturing (EOM) program. Over the course of 18 months, participants work in a full-time operational role while learning about Saint-Gobain’s business, products, and bridging the gap between educational theory and real-life manufacturing practices.

Mackenzie Moore, a West Virginia University graduate and EOM Engineer at the CertainTeed Gypsum Plant in Moundsville, WV, graduated from the Essentials of Manufacturing program in December 2024. She continued to learn technical and soft skills through the program while she was still in a learning mindset. The supportive environment of this program allows for engineers to work through challenges as part of the learning process.

“The EOM program has given me the opportunity to grow in ways I didn’t think were possible before joining Saint-Gobain. I was able to travel across the US, visiting different plants and learning about various processes, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone and kept me learning.” 

– Mackenzie Moore

When Allie Brayton joined EOM in 2023, she was transitioning from the world of R&D into manufacturing and did not know the doors this opportunity would open for her.

“The various learning and development opportunities provided by the program along with the superb networking helped me flourish in this company right from the get-go, which has helped progress my career far beyond where I thought I would go,” said Allie. “In such a short period of time, I have moved from a local plant to a national role and now into a global position in under two years.”

One of the greatest advantages of the EOM program is the breadth of knowledge and experience it provides, according to Megan Conard, current EOM engineer. Not only does the Essentials of Manufacturing program encourage strong connections within the industry, it can open a variety of different doors. Megan, Mackenzie, and Allie are currently enrolled in the company’s Essentials Global Experience, an international career development opportunity in Paris, France.

Many people who graduate from Essentials of Manufacturing enter into full-time careers within Saint-Gobain, like Benjamin Thieme, current Plant Manager at our GCP facility near Chicago, IL. When he began his career as an EOM engineer for ADFORS in 2022, he imagined that he would be designing and making parts for a company. At Saint-Gobain, he was exposed to so many different aspects of the manufacturing industry, and his career has thrived.

“From an overall standpoint, the EOM program exposed me to the Saint-Gobain way of doing things,” said Ben. “I didn’t feel like just an ADFORS employee but had more visibility into what all of Saint-Gobain North America was doing. So now at my plant in Chicago, I know what Saint-Gobain wants across all its businesses and how I can drive those initiatives at my plant.”

As part of our current and largest EOM cohort to date, Jake Mcbride says working as a sustainability engineer has been an amazing opportunity for him. He’s been able to lead projects and contribute meaningful change, which is a different experience than many of his friends from college.

There are so many possibilities for career and personal growth with Saint-Gobain North America. And we are currently hiring for the next cohort of Essentials of Manufacturing Engineers in both the United States and Canada. Check out our open early career engineering jobs.