Molly Riddell graduated from W.W.U. in 2002 with a Bachelors degree in Sociology/Psychology and a minor in English. She had always enjoyed writing and took technical communication courses at Western to improve her skills. After taking these courses, she realized that she wanted to become a professional writer. After graduating from Western she enrolled at the University of Colorado (Denver) and began working on a graduate certificate in Technical Communication. Shortly into her program, she was hired by Gambro BCT, an international company specializing in blood component technology. Selected from nearly 100 candidates, she felt her communication skills and writing portfolio were probably what got her the job.

“Some of the best skills you can have are communication skills. They will always be in demand,” she said.

As a member of the Technical Publicationsteam, her writing tasks include developing and editing operator’s manuals, training materials, and letters to customers. She works with four other writers who are responsible for project management, translation of materials, and promotional writing.

“We have a lot of autonomy in our group. We don’t collaborate on specific projects, but work cooperatively by editing each other’s work and exchanging ideas,” she said.

As a benefit of employment, Gambro supports her continuing education by providing full reimbursement of her tuition and books.