It was a badly aging factory in a dying Midwestern industrial backwater of a town, peopled by unskilled geriatrics. - Programmer Alcoa Employee Review

2.0
Dec 17, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Actually, the pay was fairly high, considering the area, and the skills and education of the people doing much of the work - too high, actually, in many cases.

Cons

Most of the people there were nearing sixty, and had never worked at another job in their lives. They graduated high school and came to work there. They were xenophobic, jealous of their legacy knowledge, unhelpful, unschooled, and not terribly interested in making their process or their product any better. The middle management was recruited from those who were good at doing the manual labor, and there appeared to be no other requisite for those positions. Promotion from within does not work if those promoted are not qualified. The entire culture of this facility was a holdover from the 1950s; xenophobia, paranoia, fear and distrust of anything new (especially technology). Employees commonly sabotaged one another's work in hopes of coming to favor with their supervisors.

Explore other reviews about Alcoa

5.0
Apr 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Company truly cares about its values and is willing to support projects that have high value

Cons

IT presents many barriers to efficient work.

1.0
May 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Ability to work 100% remote.

Cons

ITAS OTC Manager has no clue how to manage, encourage development, or plan growth. He was too busy trying to keep his skills up and not actually cultivate newcomers and manage well. I felt alone and not supported by my manager. The environment is not great for newcomers to the company. The team supposedly has so much work, but was able to lay me off after returning to work from health event. Complete and utter joke. They do not honor their core values. Beware of this place.

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