Wish they didn't close down the community college machining program

[mmcmdl]

I was fortunate enough to have started my training at age 12 in 7th grade . Took it thru 12th grade then into a Machine Tool Tech program at a local community college . 6 months in I got into a 4 year apprenticeship at the largest tool and die job shop on the east coast . I left my part time job at the hospital making 8 bucks an hour to make $3.17 an hour as an apprentice . I served my 4 years then continued on for another year for my tool and die papers . You start with a file and where you end up is up to your own ambition . I learned NC , CNC programming starting with a Friedon Flexwriter using paper tape up to Unigraphics which the DOD insists upon companies having . Companies these days frown upon operators editing programs other than maybe feeds , speeds and offsets . They own the process and you are a button pusher/parts changer. BUT , I ended up as assistant plant manager for this company for a few years till the well ran dry .

These colleges and courses have long been gone as well as the high school shops . Imagine your son or daughter being ripped apart from a machine while at school . I wouldn't want that phone call and the schools don't want the hassle . Times have changed unfortunately for the worse . No one is left to teach tool and die precision machining . Everything is CNC and while I found the prototyping , programming , set-up to be quite fun , it was pretty boring watching the machine work .

One part = prototype
Two parts = matched pair
Three parts = production

 

[planeflyer21]

Some of the companies in Virginia that help us include Northrup Grumman, Hershey chocolate, Nibco, Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock, Plygem, Pactive, and dozens of others.

Man oh boy! Talk about how my career choices would have been different if I'd even had a clue about this nugget of knowledge!

I would love to get a working machinists' apprenticeship program up and running in my part of the country again. Strives are being made and a few of the local highschools and the community college are working with local industry, they have set up a JTED (Joint Technological Educational District) program. Everything from CAD to aerospace production. All free while attending those few highschools.