Pantex Proud: Carrie Brain
Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Carrie Brain work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who she is, what she does, and why she is proud to be a Pantexan.
Behind every LaRusso, Balboa, and Skywalker, there’s a Miyagi, Mickey, and Master Yoda. These mentors teach and help sharpen their pupils’ respective disciplines, typically set to a memorable montage. We don’t have that luxury in the real world, even if we crank “Eye of the Tiger” to 11. What we do have at Pantex, however, are great instructors, and instructors for those instructors.
That’s where Carrie Brain comes in. Brain serves as the lead instructor of instructor programs at Pantex. Her responsibilities include curriculum development, assisting with training compliance job duties, and leading instructor developmental classes. Essentially, she’ll teach you how to teach.
At one point in her life, Brain believed she’d become a copy editor for Random House or Penguin Books, but as the saying around the plant goes, all roads lead to Pantex. Fortunately for Pantexans, that included Brain’s career.
“I grew up in Amarillo,” Brain said. “Back then, people didn’t talk about Pantex. Because of that, I was scared to start a job here, but the second I came aboard I knew I was part of something greater than myself. Joining Pantex made me more of a patriot.”
Brain still has passion for the written word, and she’s adopted certain elements into her instructional development. Does your team need to know updated training procedures? Looking to train new hires? Great! She will help you figure out what to say and how to say it and help tailor your content based on your audience.
“Not everybody likes to be mentored the same way,” Brain said. “Pantex is a team, but each of us learns how to do things differently. As a mentor, ask your trainee what they think they need. Also, don’t just tell them how to do something, show them how to do it.”
Brain loves her students and sees them as messengers of the mission. She’s proud to be a part of that system, empowering them with skills and tools needed to be great instructors. Yet, with any great mentor/mentee story, be it cinematic or real life, there’s a cyclical nature to the dynamic.
“I’ll run into instructors that I trained months later and see how they use the skills I taught them,” Brain said. “Yet, as I watch them train others, I learn new tricks and techniques on how to better myself as an instructor. I provide them with feedback as well. It continues on and on like that. I’m a source of support for them, and they’re a source of support for me.”
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
My dad. As a kid, I didn’t understand why he did or said certain things or didn’t say anything when I thought he should. When I grew up and we talked as adults, I realized he did those things to take care of me. He taught me how to think, research, and articulate for myself.
Why is it important we hold ourselves accountable in our daily tasks?
We have to meet Conduct of Operations, for one. Secondly, we need to take ownership of the good and bad. By doing so, we can correct those mistakes faster and learn from them. The more we understand why we need to hold ourselves accountable, the less fear we may have when owning up to our mistakes.
What advice do you offer someone who has made a mistake in his or her job?
Stop and or pause work. Seek out a peer or mentor and get the ball rolling for a path of correction. Mistakes happen. The sooner you speak up, the better off you’ll be.
Provide an example of lessons you’ve learned through overcoming a work-related challenge?
Stop talking and listen. I constantly try to became a better listener because sometimes when we’re silent, you have a chance to process what the other person is saying rather than thinking about your response. Don’t let yourself miss the point because you wouldn’t listen.