What was your first job?

This is my first job in the Manufacturing space, but my first job ever was parking and cleaning golf carts at my local golf course when I was is high school.

What do you do in your current role?

I am apart of the operations department at SMS Group corporate and apart of the Continuous Improvement team. I am currently working on tracking rolls throughout the caster at the SMS Brandenburg shop that is on site at Nucor Brandenburg. I am using an Inspection Software called Digital Equipment Check to capture data for each roll and tracking roll position when new segments get put back in the castor.

How/why did you begin your career in manufacturing?

I started my career in manufacturing by meeting with SMS Group at my university’s job fair in the fall of 2022. I like the people I talked with there and what they had to say about the company, so I ended with me reaching out to SMS Group in January of 2023. I ended up accepting the position they offered me a few days after reaching out to their Continuous Improvement Team and started work in the middle of June. I do not have much experience in the field of manufacturing, but my manager Grant has done a great job in expressing SMS Group’s vision to me and helping me understand my role at the company.

What is your educational background?

Bachelors Degree in Industrial Engineering from Youngstown State University, LEAN and Six Sigma Green Belt, ISO 9001:2015 Internal Auditor 

When you were in middle school/high school what sparked your interest in the manufacturing career pathway?

During my junior and senior year of high school, I took multiple engineering classes that my school offered and did an engineering based senior project.

What do you like most about your current position and work you are doing in manufacturing? 

The thing I like most about my current position is that I get to experience office/corporate work while having the opportunity to travel across the America to different workshops for projects.

What is the biggest thing that surprised you about manufacturing when you started working in the industry? 

The biggest thing that surprised me was how big the manufacturing industry actually is. Whenever I started chatting with others of my position, I found out that a lot of them where employed my manufacturing companies as well.

What is your #1 piece of advice for young people to prepare for a successful future?

The best piece of advice I can give to a young person to prepare for success is to be proactive with what you are trying to accomplish and know that you can’t be afraid of failing. Failing is just a way not to do something.

Why should someone consider a career in manufacturing?

I think that someone should consider a career in manufacturing because they are nice paying jobs, but you are also able to benefit your community around you through working in jobs that are volatile to our everyday lives.

What is something you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I love to do anything that is outdoors. Whether it be golf, skiing, hiking, or softball, I just love to enjoy being active.