Remote Monitoring Center Supervisor, Ecolab, Inc.

Name: Chris Enstrom

Major(s): Chemistry

Current Job Title: Remote Monitoring Center Supervisor

Current Organization: Ecolab, Inc.

Brief description of your job:

Ecolab manages swimming pool and spa chemistry for hotel customers. Our customers have a computer system installed in their hotel that my department monitors. From there, the customers can call into the Remote Center to receive technical assistance over the phone, or we can dispatch a field associate to fix any on site issues.

Other job titles since graduation:

3M Tech Aide

How have you found these positions?

Networking. My family knew someone who was the next door neighbor to the director our the program that I now work under.

What skills from your degree are you using in your current work?

I use the analytical thinking and troubleshooting every day. Everyone that I interact with comes to me looking for a solution to a problem. From the minimal amount of up-front information they give me, I have to know what questions to ask at the right time to find the information needed to provide an accurate solution. All of my upper division science and math classes taught this skill.

How have you gained skills that you didn't get from your degree that are necessary for jobs or jobs you have previously held?

Ecolab has done a lot of on the job training. Since I have been a supervisor, they have sent me to two management seminars on how to be a good leader. Other skills that are specifically related to the equipment and computers that I deal with were trained on the job.

What advice do you have for current students?

TAKE A BUSINESS OR FINANCE CLASS! If you plan to work in the for-profit industry, everything revolves around money. You can be the best chemist out there, but if you have no understanding of how a business runs, you will be at a disadvantage.