Cory Bettenhausen, a career fueled by determination

When Cory Bettenhausen joined Cummins at 19 as an intern through a school-to-work program, he wasn’t sure what the future would hold. “It was my first real job,” he recalls. “I had a lot of internal questions: Would I make it here? Would it pay off my initial investment?”

Starting out meant job shadowing and learning the basics, but it also meant stepping into an unfamiliar environment and figuring out how to belong.

After two years in the shop, Cory began looking for new challenges. Initially, the Service Supervisor role wasn’t on his radar. He thought he lacked full awareness of the responsibilities. But encouragement from colleagues and his own willingness to learn changed his perspective. “With time, I realized it was a good fit for me,” he says. Today, Cory has been a Service Supervisor for two years, leading with confidence and purpose.

Cory credits his success to being coachable, maintaining a strong work ethic, and staying persistent, even after being turned down for several positions. “Getting rejected is hard, but it’s just a stone on the path. You have to keep going.” He also emphasizes the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone. For him, that meant overcoming introversion and improving communication skills. “I used to struggle with speaking in front of people. Now, I lead team events and present regularly, it came from doing it over and over.”

His advice for technicians aspiring to grow? Don’t wait for a title to start learning leadership skills. Take on challenging opportunities now, embrace feedback, be coachable and keep pushing forward. Cory recommends The War of Art by Steven Pressfield*, a book that helped him embrace discomfort and push through fear. “Nervousness and anxiety mean you’re growing. Listen to those feelings because they’ll help you improve.”

* In his book, Steven Pressfield argues that the greatest barrier to realizing one’s creative potential is an invisible internal force called Resistance, which manifests as fear, self-doubt, and procrastination. To overcome this “war,” one must recognize Resistance as an adversary, adopt a disciplined, professional approach by showing up daily regardless of inspiration, and embrace the hard work and craft required to defeat self-sabotage and achieve one’s true calling.