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Alumni Career Feature – Daniel "Bat" Madison

We feature alumni with interesting careers from a variety of career areas. To find out more about the alumnus profession contact them via the e-mail provided. Or if you are interested in being featured, e-mail us at alumni@pct.edu.

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Daniel "Bat" Madison

• A.A.S., Technical Illustration, 1968
• Lockheed Martin Information Systems
• Daniel.Madison@lmco.com

How did you choose your present career? Please explain how you decided to major in your area of study during college.

I went to school for technical illustration but my present job is technical writer. When I was in high school, I toured Williamsport Technical Institute. One of the places we visited was technical illustration and the late Anthony Terrizzi was the instructor. When high school was over, I enrolled in the program.

I liked what I saw. I was always artistic. I liked the art and the mechanical engineering aspect.

What advice do you have to offer to a student who is struggling with identification of a major/career field in college?

Look to the future and what you want to do in 10 or 15 years. Will you like what you are doing and will you get satisfaction out of your job? Go for job satisfaction and not necessarily the dollars. Sometimes, 15-20 years down the road, people are burned out and do not know what to do with themselves.

Did you use Career Counseling services and/or Career/Placement services while at Penn College (or Williamsport Area Community College)? If yes, how did they help you?

I used the placement services.

The College arranged for General Electric to come from Binghamton, New York and interview students. GE interviewed nine students then asked four to go to their offices in New York for an interview. Out of the four interviewed, I was hired. I chose the job at GE because it had the most promise. I had job offers from Kodak, International Schools, and Lycoming Engines. But this looked like the best offer.

How were you hired at your present position?

Through a series of mergers and sales, the part of GE that I worked in is now Lockheed Martin. I have been with the company for 32 years and my current position is a result of a natural progression within my field and the company.

What positions did you hold before this one?

I started as a technical illustrator, then became senior illustrator. Eventually I moved to become supervisor of technical illustrators. After illustrating for a number of years, I had the opportunity to move into technical writing, which is a natural move within this field. I worked into a senior technical writer and eventually became supervisor of technical writers.

What would you tell a Penn College graduating student about your career field?

In technical writing, you need to communicate through words, research procedures and see how something works, translate engineering and marketing language into language for the customer. It can be very challenging at times. The customer must be able to understand how the product works and how to use it. Most technical writing must be at a junior high school reading level.

What was the most significant thing you learned on the job during your first year?

I was surprised when I went to GE at how much better my skills were by graduating from WTI with a certificate and then Williamsport Area Community College with an associates degree than the other technical illustrators who had several years of experience but no degree. I had to learn to accept the skills and levels of other individuals and become a team player.

What was most difficult about your transition to the world of work?

Transitioning from school to work was not really an issue for me. I was in the Navy for some time after graduating from WTI. By using my GI bill, I was able to return to school and convert my certificate into an associate’s degree.

What was the greatest strength of your Penn College/Williamsport Area Community College education? (What did you learn at Penn College that helped you a great deal in your career?)

The greatest strength was dealing with Dr. Kenneth Carl. I can not say enough about that guy. It did not matter where you were or what was going on, he always stopped to talk or give you advice.

He and Tony Terrizzi were great mentors and lead me into my career.

What should students in your field do to prepare themselves for their career?

Acquire as many skills in computers as you can – not just how to operate and type but different software packages and programs. The more skills, diversity, and ability to adapt will get you the job and help you keep it.

What do you find the most enjoyable about your career field and your present position?

I enjoy the research and translation of the language. Sometimes the engineers who are giving the directions do not have a good command of the English language that a layperson can understand. It’s my job to make the translation for the every day person to be able to understand.

How do you see your field changing in the next 3-5 years? Will this change require you to obtain additional training?

The field is becoming more and more computer based. Manuals are now offered over the Internet. Technical writers need to stay on top of what is available in computer tools. Using computers is a natural thing for younger people today and training and manuals take on a different appearance.

What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 3 years?

I am going to take advantage of an early retirement option offered by Lockheed Martin. I am going to start another career in hazardous materials management.

If you could redo your college experience, how/would you prepare differently to enter the workplace?

There is nothing I would change. I feel I have had the greatest boost from WTI/WACC. We had the blocks put under our feet to build upon our careers.

From your perspective, what are three to five needed skills that your employer was seeking in a new employee?

I am in a position to recommend technical writers for my department to hire. I look at computer skills, command of the English language, and does the person have an interest or volunteer for an organization. By being involved in something other than work, the person is more adaptable and flexible. A second language would be a plus. The whole business market has become global. I have worked with companies in Spain, Italy, Canada, Germany, and England.

Have you received any special recognition or awards through your employment or professional organizations to which you belong?

I received the Phillippe Award from General Electric. Each department nominated a person from their area who also volunteered in the community to be considered for the award. I was nominated and won one of the awards. I have also received numerous awards and commendations from fire companies for work I have done with them.