Lamar Mason grew up in Los Angeles. His love for complex problem-solving – with the end result of making people’s lives easier – drove him to become an engineer. After high school, Mason went to the United States Military Academy at West Point and worked for the Department of Defense and the Army in El Paso, Texas, for a few years before deciding to go back to school. From there, he moved east to attend Ohio State University (OSU) where he enrolled in the industrial and systems engineering program, which is ranked in the top 35 programs in the country.
After graduating from OSU, Mason set out to find the perfect job. He wanted to explore all of his options so he researched several companies, including Lexmark. The Technical Rotation Program (TRP) offered at Lexmark is what ultimately led Mason to apply.
The TRP program
The purpose of the TRP is to recruit and hire top, diverse, entry-level talent, and expose them to various parts of the business in order to better prepare them for future leadership roles — technical and/or managerial. The TRP is a two-year program during which participants rotate through three eight-month rotations, all while participating in comprehensive development and leadership training. At the end of the program, participants are placed in an area of the business that matches their background and interests.
The interview process
Initially there was a phone interview with a Lexmark human resources recruiter. Mason liked what he heard and decide to proceed to the next steps of the interview process that included a phone interview with a Lexmark technical expert, a tour of corporate headquarters and panel interviews, which were a day-long exploratory process — not just for Lexmark but for Mason as well.
“Lexmark made sure I did not go hungry during the visit; there was tons of great food,” said Mason. “There was a comfort level I felt almost immediately with all the people at Lexmark.”
The decision
Mason had job offers from three other companies in addition to Lexmark. It was a combination of things that made Lexmark a better fit and opportunity for him including the rotation program itself.
“I valued Lexmark’s commitment to work-life balance and knowing I was going to work for a company I could trust — trust I gained while vetting the job with current and former TRPs,” said Mason.
Mason and his wife were also interested in living in Lexingtonbecause of their love of horses and the family-friendly atmosphere the city has to offer. Mason also liked the benefits, culture and working environment at Lexmark.
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In the end, Mason chose Lexmark and has never looked back.
The opportunities
The TRP offered Mason the opportunity to connect with multiple areas of the business and build an extensive network more quickly than he would at most companies.
“It gave me the opportunity to see where my talents best served the business, which was a win/win for both me and Lexmark,” remarked Mason. “It placed me on the right career path with a sense of belonging and fit.”
The program also pushed him to speed up his learning process, which helped him deliver results to the business before his rotation ended.
“Not only was I asked to lead a major new global project on my first day on the job, but I immediately began working with a cross-functional team in the U.S., China and Mexico,” Mason said.
The TRP gave Mason the opportunity to travel to places like Poland, Belgium, China, Mexico and France, giving him a fuller view of Lexmark’s operations around the world and insights that he could only gain from seeing them in person.
“I was able to build international relationships and was exposed to how my work touched the lives of those I was innovating for,” said Mason. “It was truly a life-changing experience.”
As part of the program, Mason was involved in training and development programs that gave him the additional experience he needed to excel quickly in his job. He participated in leadership training, Lean training, mentor and coaching training, management training, and development and feedback that he received from his managers and peers through informal and formal discussions.
Mason finished the program in 2014. That same year he received the Manufacturing Leadership 100 Award in Supply Chain Leadership. He is now working at Lexmark as a new product introduction and engineer assembly manager in Worldwide Supplies Engineering and Operations and is actively involved in thediversity network groups.
Interested in applying?
Lexmark is currently seeking applicants for the 2016 TRP class. It is open to upcoming college graduates in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and supply chain.
