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“I have always been fascinated with trains since I was a small child,” said Otis L. Chisley, Jr., a graduating senior at Jackson State University.
Chisley has secured a full-time position as an operations supervisor for the Norfolk Southern Corporation. He also interned at the company during the summer of 2019 as a paid operations supervisor intern.
Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies operating approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia.
It is a major transporter of industrial products, including chemicals, agriculture, and metals and construction materials.
Prior to beginning his position, Chisley has to attend classes to obtain his conductor’s license and complete a management training. Once this eight-month process is complete, he will be a full-time operations supervisor.
“I am blessed and humbled by this opportunity,” he says. “I understand that I am extremely fortunate to have a management opportunity in a field that brings me genuine joy.”
He continues, “Trains are often seen as a method of transportation or a nuisance to most people. When trains are coming through local communities and major cities they can sometimes cause a 10 to 30 minute hold-up; but trains are vital to the production of our society.
The business management major says that he is excited about his new position at Norfolk Southern Corporation and plans to manage with an open-mind.
“I expect to give them an open-mind and the ability to listen. Even though I’m starting off in management, there are people that may report to me that have been working at the corporation for 40 years. I will not go into an establishment expecting to know everything. I have to be respectful and understand what each employee has been accustomed to doing.”