A go-getter with a passion for new ideas

There are few fields where quality is more critically important than automotive technology. What would happen if an axle were to break apart at full speed? Of if an airbag were to fail to deploy properly in an accident? Quality and safety are two sides of the same coin, and delivering on the promise of both requires capable quality engineers who serve as an interface between the customer and the product manufacturer. One of these engineers is Robert Young, who works for BENTELER Automotive in Goshen, Indiana. Now in his mid-forties, Young has worked in many different branches of industry. In a career that has taken him from Production Operator to positions in management and ultimately to Quality Engineer, there is not much that he has not seen, be it in process engineering, the chemical industry, or tool manufacturing. In 2007, as he was looking about for a new challenge and an opportunity to further enhance his skills, Young finally found what he was looking for at BENTELER.

“When I entered the working world 20 years ago, the only important thing was just having work. My thinking changed relatively quickly, and then I always aimed for an improvement whenever I changed jobs. I began to climb the ladder one rung at a time, and changing to BENTELER also turned out to be the right decision.”

Why BENTELER?

Now married with two children, Young knows from first-hand experience that BENTELER lives up to its commitment to being a superior employer, one that supports its employees and fosters their development. His colleagues and executives encouraged him to take his current job as a Quality Engineer because he has a good rapport with customers and can advise them accordingly.

“I love dealing with customers. I have their needs in the back of my mind whenever my team and I are considering ways to approach a solution or to adapt and improve certain processes. What I especially like about BENTELER is its extensive network of support groups. This gives BENTELER a large treasure trove of ideas to draw upon. I am also very impressed with the general approach to work at BENTELER. It is designed not just to further commercial interests, but also with the individual employees, their safety, and their well-being in mind.”

Striking out on new paths

A Kentucky native, Robert Young describes himself as someone who will not settle for easy answers. He keeps on asking questions until he is certain that a solution is the right one. Moreover, he explains what he does so that his colleagues understand what really matters to him and, ultimately, to the customer.

“In private and professional life alike, I follow the adage that, if something needs to change, you have to bring about that change yourself. So it is important to become active and to get going. Ever since I was little I have been passionate about handicrafts. I still like to play the hobbyist handyman at home. I furnished my daughters’ bedroom with furniture I built myself.”

Young’s job also calls for a certain amount of mental flexibility. It calls for striking out on new paths and trying out new ideas. It is not surprising, then, that he has begun studying IT in his spare time as a way of ensuring he has something productive to do in his retirement. He is already applying his knowledge of computers to help friends and acquaintances and solve their problems with the technology.

For all that, however, Young welcomes without hesitation the prospect of working at BENTELER for a long time to come. He has a highly favorable opinion of his employer’s qualities, and for those seeking employment he cannot recommend BENTELER highly enough.