NRTC Honors Our Women Employees

For Women’s History Month, NRTC is featuring Tosha Hornbuckle and Erica Hooks, two highly valued women employees in our warehouse. 

March marks Women’s History Month, giving us the opportunity to appreciate the struggles, hardships, and triumphs women have experienced to get to where they are today.  

Women have been advocating for themselves for centuries. With every legislative act and cultural challenge, women continue to break through the glass ceilings that have oppressed them. And although they have made great strides, there are still areas where women are underrepresented, such as in manufacturing.  

NRTC Automation offers several solutions to these challenges below. We also feature several of our own women employees to inspire future generations of women to join the manufacturing industry. 

Women’s History Month 

Honoring women’s journey to independence 

In the last few centuries, there have been amazing leaps of progress in the journey to equality and independence.  

From the suffragettes in the 19th and 20th centuries to the women's liberation movement in the 1960s and ‘70s to the #MeToo movement today, women are making great strides to achieve the equality they deserve. 

There is still much work left to be done, however. 

The challenge to encourage women in manufacturing 

There is a clear difference in the ratio of women to men in the manufacturing workforce. Women make up less than one-third of the manufacturing industry in the United States, whereas half of Bachelor's degrees come from women. 

How do we get women to join the manufacturing workforce? Could this be the way to decrease the two million unfulfilled jobs caused by a skills gap in the industry? 

Methods to encourage women to apply to manufacturing jobs include: 

• increasing visibility of women on manufacturing teams, such as quality team leads and operators 

• ensuring that women have work/life balance and programs to support their careers, such as maternity leave and continuing education 

• minimizing the gender pay gap to provide women with the pay they deserve for the skills they bring to the table 

• providing ways for women to report sexual harassment in the workplace, and taking them seriously when they do report it 

Manufacturers benefit when they hire women by gaining increasingly diverse perspectives, particularly for decision-making and problem-solving. Also, attracting and hiring women manufacturing workers will help decrease the skills gap that is currently plaguing the industry. 

Looking toward the next generation of young women is key to bringing more women into the manufacturing workforce. Hosting events like plant tours and mentoring women through internships are both great ways to encourage women to join manufacturing facilities.  

Also, nurturing girls' skills in STEM and encouraging them to express their interests in STEM in grade school and high school will set up the manufacturing industry for success. 

Women who work for NRTC 

In honor of Women’s History Month, NRTC Automation is featuring the wonderful women who work in our warehouse. 

TOSHA HORNBUCKLE, QUALITY TEAM LEAD 

Tosha Hornbuckle is the Quality Team Lead at NRTC Automation. She has been in the automotive industry for 10 years, starting as an operator in the assembly process. She later specialized in Class A Surface Inspections and metal finishing liaising for Mercedes and Kamtek. Tosha has also worked as a Quality Supervisor for a stamping company. 

At NRTC, Tosha is focused on assuring that we produce quality parts in a safe work environment. She is the person to turn to when quality issues arise in the assembly process, and she also assists the management team with ideas to become more efficient in daily operations. 

We asked Tosha what challenges she has experienced as a woman in a male-dominated industry. She says, “It can be a very competitive environment. You must be assertive and consistent and stay sharp. Make your skills and abilities count!” 

Outside of NRTC, Tosha is a supremely accomplished woman with diverse interests.  

• Tosha loves to sing (and is quite good at it, too!). 

• She describes herself as a devoted wife and mother.  

• She is a certified life coach and wellness coach, as well as an author of the book, Finesse Your Fine: Transforming Your Life Heart, Mind & Body.

• Not only that, but Tosha also runs a podcast with her husband called Heart 2 Heart, touching on relationships and life purpose. 

Tosha’s favorite thing about working with NRTC is being able to bring her ideas to the table and helping our customers grow their business: “I enjoy being a part of cultivating a work environment that will set the company up for success.” 

Ultimately, Tosha’s drive for success and helping others achieve their goals, both personally and professionally, make her a great fit at NRTC Automation. 

ERICA HOOKS, SHIPPING COORDINATOR  

Erica Hooks works in shipping for our Service Parts department, providing our customers with the parts they need, when they need them.  

She worked in healthcare for 15 years before starting her first warehouse job at Auto Car as a material handler. After proving herself with hard work, self-education, and determination, she was promoted to shipping coordinator. Despite her promotion, Erica struggled to be respected by her male coworkers. She had to do heavy labor late into her pregnancy, and, unable to get the help she needed from her team, she ended up having an early labor. Thankfully, her 1-year-old son is now a healthy 28-pound baby. 

Erica has a very different experience working at NRTC. She says that she has the “best supervisor” and couldn’t ask for a better person to lead her team. Her other team leads and managers make her feel like her work is appreciated, and she feels like she’s “finally a part of a team.” 

Every day at NRTC Automation, Erica communicates with drivers, from UPS to FedEx to truck drivers, to make sure all incoming and outgoing packages are accounted for. She communicates with the team and stays on top of NRTC’s goals with a daily morning meeting to go over work objectives. 

According to Erica, working in a male-dominated field can be intimidating. She says, “I feel like I have to work extra hard just to prove I belong. I have to stand firm on whatever I believe in.” This perspective is common for many women in any male-dominated field. Even though she loves the atmosphere at NRTC—it is a very family-oriented environment, she says—being a woman in a mostly-male environment has its challenges. 

What are some fun facts about Erica? 

• She is a die-hard Alabama fan. In her own words, “ROLL TIDE!” 

• Erica is a proud sports mom of two teenage boys and one pre-teen boy. Her sons play basketball, football, and baseball, and she loves being able to watch and support their interests. 

• She has a strong relationship with her loving husband who helps her weather any phase of life. She says, “He’s my calming spirit to any storm I face; he always lets me know we got this.” 

Overall, Erica is an enthusiastic and down-to-earth mother, wife, and NRTC team member, giving her best in every area of her life. 

NRTC appreciates the diligent women on our team 

The women who work for NRTC are valued members of the warehouse, offering their insights, experience, and expertise to help us provide the best service possible.  

With Tosha and Erica, as well as all our employees at NRTC, we give our customers the service that we’ve been recognized for by partners like Toyota, Mercedes, Ford, and more. Join us to meet your production goals by scheduling a free consultation today. 

VISIT NRTC AUTOMATION TODAY 

NRTC Automation is dedicated to providing high-value industrial automation and manufacturing equipment solutions to all its customers.  

From decommissioning and tear out to industrial robotic training services to custom flexible work cells, NRTC is the key to integrate your workplace. With personalized training and custom-built designs, NRTC Automation is the destination for all your industrial automation and manufacturing equipment services. 

Visit our website today to learn more about our comprehensive decommissioning and automation services.