From Plant to Programming: KC Sandy's Journey

“Engineering taught me to be methodical, curious, and patient when things do not work the first time,” KC Sandy reflects, looking back on a career path that began not behind a monitor, but on the industrial floor of a paper mill. As a Chemical Engineering intern at Pratt’s Wapakoneta, OH paper mill, KC’s daily reality was defined by the physical constraints of heat, pressure, and massive machinery. It was an environment where she learned to respect the gravity of large-scale systems and the precision required to keep them running.

That early immersion in the "real world" of manufacturing provided her with a unique perspective shift; she realized that whether you are dealing with chemical vats or lines of code, the underlying logic of problem-solving remains the same. This foundational experience in our paper mills gave her a grit that many developers never have the chance to develop, transforming her into a professional who understands that every digital input eventually has a physical output.

When the time came to transition from the plant floor to our IT team, the shift could have been jarring if not for the deliberate mentorship she received from Pratt’s leadership. Her managers recognized that her engineering brain was perfectly suited for the digital architecture of the company, providing her with the resources and guidance to pivot her career path internally. This support acted as a bridge, allowing her to take the structured thinking of a chemical engineer and apply it to the abstract challenges of a Junior Software Developer.

“The transition hasn't been about changing how I think, but where I apply it. Those habits have translated naturally into software, shaping how I approach new challenges and continue to learn in this role,” said KC.
Now based in Atlanta, KC’s daily life is a testament to how the rigors of the mill prepared her for the complexities of digital infrastructure. She manages the entire software development lifecycle, guiding projects from initial concept through final deployment. This holistic responsibility mirrors the way she once watched a raw material move through a paper machine until it became a finished product. At Pratt, she isn't just a coder in a vacuum; she is a builder who understands the entire "manufacturing" process of an application.

“Now, as a junior software developer, the problems live in code rather than machinery,” KC explains. “Instead of working on the plant floor, I am helping to build and refine digital systems, often solving issues that are less visible but just as important.” By weaving her engineering past into her developer present, KC has become a vital link in the chain, ensuring that Pratt’s digital systems are as robust and reliable as the paper mills where she first got her start.