Returning to the Workforce
In 2015, when her youngest child started Kindergarten, Becky decided it was time to return to the workforce after spending 10 years as a stay-at-home mom. During her 10 years at home, she stayed active with part-time work helping her husband manage a bowling alley and by volunteering as a Blacklight Artist. But Becky wanted a career that offered challenge, stability and room to grow.
Before stepping away from the workforce, Becky had worked in retail and had just started a job in manufacturing when she became pregnant with her third child. When she began exploring career options again, she looked toward manufacturing and soon discovered that the composites industry was a strong, in-demand field with promising growth.
Becky enrolled at Ogden Weber Technical College, earned her composites certificate and graduated as a member of the school’s technical honors society. She first met Janicki at a career fair and connected immediately with the company’s emphasis on precision and doing work accurately. By the time she completed her program, Janicki had become her first choice for a job. She applied and joined the Utah team in 2018.
Building a Career
Becky’s career began in the post operations department, where she spent two years developing a wide range of skills, including cleaning, sanding, edge filling, repairs, pin checks and inspections. One of her most detailed assignments involved fine sanding on a space project that required extremely smooth surfaces. She took parts from a standard 32 Ra down to an exceptionally smooth 8 Ra by hand. Ra refers to surface roughness average, a standard engineering measurement that quantifies surface smoothness at the microscopic level, with lower values indicating finer finishes.
Working in post operations enhanced her technical skills and motivated her to seek new internal opportunities. This led to cross-training and eventually to a permanent role as a Mill Technician. She now works with Janicki’s proprietary 5-axis mills, loading parts, operating and monitoring the machine and its cutting tools, inspecting parts and collaborating with other technicians and engineers. She still supports the post operations department as needed.
“I enjoy seeing how much the parts change throughout the milling process, especially the ones with surfacing paths,” Becky said. “It is really neat to watch it go from a blank to a complex, intricate part.”
One of Becky’s favorite projects has been supporting a long-term aerospace program. She has watched many of the aircraft components move through every stage, from arrival and unboxing, to machining, sanding, inspection and final packaging, giving her a strong sense of accomplishment and ownership.
Becky values the culture at Janicki just as much as the technical challenges.
“There is a great environment here. If something goes wrong, we come together as a team and solve the problem together and prevent it from happening again,” she said. “I love Janicki’s emphasis on precision and on doing things right.”
Crafting Success, On and Off the Clock
Outside of work, Becky devotes her time to her family. Her husband, Michael, and her children, Laura, Crystal, Isaiah, Charity and Seraphina, are at the center of her life. Becky is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a thyroid cancer survivor.
She also pursues creative hobbies that include sculpting, painting, sewing, and baking. She recently created custom plexiglass decorations for the mini golf and bowling alley her husband manages and is known for her unique handmade pieces, including chicken wire ghosts. She occasionally takes on commissioned projects.
Becky’s faith, creativity and resilience shine throughout her story. Her path back into the workforce has grown into a successful and meaningful career at Janicki’s Utah plant, balanced with a vibrant home life.
Read more employee stories by visiting our Limitless Opportunities blog.