I met Sam Passenger at Detroit Gun Works open house earlier this month. I was impressed as he walked me through the computer model of the part they were making. As he then showed me on the monitor the toll path step by step. As he described to me how he integrated the robotic arm into the machining operations.
When I asked him where he learned all this – what college did he graduate from?- he just smiled.
Sam has no college, no college debt, and a great career- from learning as he was earning. on the job. At DGW.
Sam is the lead on integrating robots into DGW’s machining operations and has his hands in just about everything going on in the shops CNC equipment.
Listen to what Sam has to say about his job in the following video:
- “I really enjoy my creative freedom.”
- “I really enjoy getting to do what I do.”
- “I come to work- It’s NOT work.”
- “It’s not work- this is what I do for fun…”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqQXC8dq664&w=420&h=315]
Manufacturing Career$, No College Debt Required
Sam has a key role at his manufacturing company- and he enjoys it. It’s not work. It’s what he does for fun.
How about you? Is what you do “fun?” Do you enjoy your creative freedom? At the end of the day, are you satisfied by seeing the results of your work?
Sam Is typical of the stories of younger workers in precision machining and advanced manufacturing today. No college debt from 4 or more years of loans and classes. Skills learned as he earned.Skills valued by his employer and job he enjoys.
How about you?
For more information about a career in precision machining, checkout our career section here.
Jim Henderson says:
I love to hear it when people are passionate about their jobs!!
Having accomplished all he has without a degree speaks to his ambition and intellect. I have one question though. How much more productive, more creative and how much MORE of a contribution to American manufacturing could he contribute with a college degree?
In other words, how much has he left on the table?
Robert Nash says:
We have just launched a new 16 week CNC Machining program. Learn CNC Machining in 4 months along with Mastercam and some manual machine work. If you have time to go to a 2 year degree program that is prefered and the path you should take and we offer that too. In fact we have been offering that since the mid 1960’s. Email me for more infomation. ude.univ@hsanr
speakingofprecision says:
Jim, In my time with hiom there, I was convinced that he was already operating at highest and best use. He knew what he knew, he knew what he could do, and he knew where to find what he didn’t know. Could he gain additional knowledge or expertise with more formal studies, probably. But at his current level of performance, Additional studies would be , in my opinion, diminishing returns…
speakingofprecision says:
Your school is listed on PMPA’s Career training database Robert.
http://www.pmpa.org/docs/default-source/reference/training-database.pdf?sfvrsn=8
http://www.vuhtec.org/