This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Douglas Dorsey, who lives in Washington state, about his career as a manufacturing e

I worked at Boeing for over 30 years. I witnessed the fallout of outsourcing firsthand.

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2025-01-07 14:30:03

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Douglas Dorsey, who lives in Washington state, about his career as a manufacturing engineer at Boeing. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I was a manufacturing engineer. My responsibilities included writing instructions and coming up with assembly sequences for aircraft.

During my career, I worked on several aircraft projects for Boeing, including the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, the Boeing 777, and the 787 Dreamliner. It was always interesting and challenging. I worked with dedicated employees and on cutting-edge programs.

However, while working on the Boeing 787 program in the 2000s, I noticed that outsourcing manufacturing tasks to suppliers became a really big problem for Boeing. When I worked on the shop floor, I saw the negative impacts of outsourcing to suppliers, such as slower production and delivering incomplete parts.

Even after retiring, I've stayed up to date with Boeing. I've followed the news on malfunctions and strikes, but I think management is taking baby steps in the right direction.