For this issue of Careers in Focus, the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation features Nazia Taylor, Honeywell Aerospace’s IT Director for HR, Finance, and the Law & Contracts teams. She shares her love for building relationships which lead her to pursue a career in IT and offers meaningful advice to those who are considering a similar career.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
A: I was born and raised in the Fiji Islands and currently live in Mesa, Arizona. I have been married for almost 17 years and have 9-year-old twin girls. I love traveling, reading, cooking, and gardening.
Q: Can you describe your career path?
A: I have been in the Aviation/Aerospace industry for almost 18 years now where I started as a Customer Service Representative for the Refunds team at then US Airways. My love for Aviation motivated me to get an Airframe and Powerplant certification as well as a Master’s Degree from Embry Riddle in Management with a concentration in Aerospace/Aviation.
While I have held several roles in Aviation/Aerospace, my passion is in Information Technology, and in my current role, I get to touch both Aerospace and IT.
Q: What attracted you to a career in IT?
A: After the American Airlines/ US Airways merger, I applied for an IT Project Manager role in order to stay in Phoenix. It was one of the few roles that were remaining in Phoenix since most of the Engineering roles were moving to Dallas.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role and why?
A: In my current role, I support Aerospace Business partners and use technology to help them meet their business goals. Building relationships and supporting different business teams is what I enjoy the most about my role. Different teams have their own set of challenges and each situation has different solutions.
Q: What advice do you have for people who may be interested in a similar career?
A: Try to learn about the industry and organizations that have values/goals that are important to you.