When Cassandra “KC” Sanchez was growing up in Laredo, Texas, her mother would often point out airplanes taking off and landing at the local airport.

“My mom had never flown before, so she thought it was amazing that these large airplanes could fly,” KC said. “That sparked my interest in aviation.”

In the summer of 2022, KC’s interest turned into a career when she started working for Boeing as an entry-level Quality Engineer supporting our Commercial Airplanes in Everett, Washington.

KC uses model-based engineering—an approach to product development, manufacturing and support that essentially duplicates reality with digital data and information—to collaborate with system engineers on the architecture of our future production systems.

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Sometimes the job calls for working with virtual reality or visiting a 3D-printing lab to trial-and-error future concepts.

“It’s great to know that my team and I are using advanced tools and technologies to help chart Boeing’s future,” KC said. “It’s exciting to have a front row seat to see where we’re heading.”

As a Quality teammate, KC also helps support our Quality Management System—regulations and design requirements that provide stability throughout the production system, ensuring we meet all our regulatory requirements.

When KC joined our company, she had a background in systems engineering. She quickly took to the Quality organization and received her first promotion in under a year. KC says our company has provided her a supportive professional environment, and she hopes to eventually become a manager.

“Boeing provides you with so many opportunities,” she said. “The company also feels like a family and they make you feel welcomed.”

One of those opportunities has been the chance to mentor five Hispanic interns who have similar backgrounds to her own.

“I’ve been able to attend Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers conferences and network with like-minded professionals with backgrounds similar to mine,” KC said. “And mentoring interns feels like a good way to give back.”

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Pictured with her family in Laredo, Texas, KC was inspired to work in aerospace by her mother’s love of airplanes. (KC Sanchez photo)

KC was one of the first members of her family to attend college. Prior to working with us, she had never been outside Texas and northern Mexico. KC’s family helped her move to Washington state, and on their return to Texas they flew for the first time—on a 737-9.

“That made me so proud to see my family fly on a Boeing plane for their first flight,” KC said. “It made me appreciate my job and the company even more seeing them get home safely.”

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