People & Places Spotlight: Meet the Team in West Virginia

Ronald Knapp, Mobile Repair Team Technician –

For Ronald, figuring out how to fix things is in his DNA, born of his natural curiosity. As a child, he would watch his father, an automotive mechanic, work on vehicles; Ronald was always eager to help him by grabbing tools from the toolbox. Today, Ronald is part of the Mobile Repair Team (MRT), servicing Pratt & Whitney Canada's entire portfolio of engines.

Ronald obtained his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license from Enterprise Ozark Community College in Enterprise, Alabama, and quickly accepted a contracting position with Pratt & Whitney. After just two months, he was offered a full-time position, which he swiftly accepted because he "couldn’t imagine being at any other company."

When you are an MRT, no day is the same. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Ronald’s work takes him all over the world. “Our role as an MRT is to adapt on the fly," Ronald says. "We get a phone call, get to the location, meet with and listen to the customer, then begin troubleshooting and performing maintenance." While some jobs may only last a day, others can last over a week. But for Ronald, traveling is one of the best parts of his job.

While traveling is a perk, Ronald also emphasized that a big source of job satisfaction is his interactions with the customers. "Watching the big smile on the customers’ faces when you run the engine after repairs makes me so happy – makes me feel accomplished. I’ve had many customers tell me that they won't buy an airplane unless it's got a Pratt & Whitney engine on it."

Ronald has been with Pratt & Whitney for 12 years and says his “best day” was the day he was hired. "If you join Pratt & Whitney, you will never see it as a job. I wake up every day, and I don't feel like I'm going to work; I'm going to do something fun, work on cool things, and meet new people."

Grace Lenhart, Industrial Engineer for Logistics

Grace first heard about Pratt & Whitney while in college. She had several friends in aviation who spoke so highly of the company she decided that was also where she wanted to work after college. "I wanted to be somewhere that was growing fast and would allow me the opportunity to grow too."

In 2020, her hope became a reality. "The day I got hired was the best. It was a dream come true. I had worked for this and waited for it – the day I started here was the realization of the things I have worked for and wanted for myself."

Like Ronald, every day can bring something new for Grace, who now oversees an external logistics provider. Her day-to-day responsibilities include managing parts handling, shipping, receiving, and logistics functions as a whole. If there is one key takeaway she has had thus far in her career, it is to "change the plan, not the goal. Everything that I have worked on has faced roadblocks. Things can look good on paper, and then something happens. Take a step back, think about it, try again, but still go for the same goal."

Lenhart advises anyone considering applying to Pratt & Whitney to "do it!" She emphasizes that "once you get into Pratt & Whitney, you can expand your knowledge and career. You can try out different roles and different departments. Everything you do here is integrated. You are always in a team that is multifunctional."

Jill Sanders, Environment, Health & Safety Site Lead

If you asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Jill would have told you “marine biologist.” After taking a position as a chemist at Pratt & Whitney following college, she had a change of heart. Having been with Pratt & Whitney for nearly 20 years, Jill knows she made the right decision.

After working as a chemist for four years, Jill worked as a line engineer, project manager, and production control, then transitioned into to EH&S in 2017. Jill is as passionate about EH&S as she is about her coworkers.

"My favorite part of my job is talking to colleagues on the shop floor. We’re a small facility with only 400 employees. Everyone is on the same team, and at the end of the day, we are all working towards the same goal." Jill also exclaims that it genuinely feels like a family. “Our kids go to school together; our families interact outside of work – we really are more like a family here.”

Jill's advice for anyone considering applying to Pratt & Whitney is “to go for it!”

"There are so many opportunities that you wouldn't even think about. Don't hesitate to jump on an opportunity just because you don't feel like that's what you want to do for the rest of your life. Opportunity leads to other opportunities. Go ahead and get started – you may like it and stay there for the rest of your life, or more opportunities will open up."