Pros

- Decent pay.

- Big company with lots of big projects to work on.

Cons

- I am part of their ELDP program. As a result of my experiences on this program, I have come to resent this company. When I joined ELDP, my fellow ELDP-ers and I were promised rotations across the country, extra perks, full tuition reimbursement, etc. Senior management really likes to push this program.

As it turns out, their ELDP program is an unorganized mess (my manager doesn't even know what "ELDP" stands for). "Rotations" are almost nonexistant. I have been going to school for almost two months now, and a few days ago I FINALLY got my tuition reimbursement. Unfortunately, I was not reimbursed for the full amount, so now I have to go fight through a bunch of bureaucracy to get the full amount that I was promised.

Management piles the work on us and expects us to perform well at our jobs and at school. We get no extra vacation time. All of my vacation time is used for doing homework and going to class. I get the same amount of vacation and I am paid at the same rate as my non-ELDP coworkers. My fellow ELDP-ers and I are burnt out and stressed out. The stress has had a negative impact on my health and I have even had to start seeing a therapist.

However, management keeps patting us on our backs and telling us that we are the "future leaders" of this company. I'm sorry, but I don't want to be a leader in a company that treats its employees like this. Somebody in upper management actually had the audacity to tell me that my work at Lockheed should come before my schooling.

- Benefits SUCK big-time at Lockheed. They offer ONE health insurance plan...yes ONE! It doesn't matter how old you are, how big your family is, how sick or healthy you are...everybody is on the same plan!

- Mandatory overtime. It happens, and you don't get paid for your first 5 hours of overtime.

- We don't even get little things like free coffee. My cubicle is always freezing, but they won't let me bring in a heater.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat your "future leaders" better! We deserve extra vacation time or we should be allowed to work a 36-hour work week. Our assignments are tougher and we HAVE to go to school, yet we get the same pay and perks as everybody else. I feel like I am being penalized for being in ELDP.