Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1319500
34 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 What is your educational background? I attended Michigan Technological Universi- ty, where I received a B.S. in Chemical Engi- neering and a Minor in Mineral Processing. Do you find you use your degree in your job? My degree has been useful in two ways. The main use is the academic knowledge it required to earn my degree. While learn- ing this information, it also led me to learn how to creatively problem solve. This abili- ty to solve problems is the skill that has been most useful day to day since I began working at CEC. What advice would you give to a fabricator on recruiting and hiring young talent? My advice would be to follow what CEC al- ready excels at: Fabricators should present a welcoming atmosphere to the young talent, and work with them to find where they fit best. Along with utilizing a new hire's existing strengths, it's essential to maintain a contin- ued focus on their growth. Brian Torola, Process Engineer 1 year Had you worked in a different industry prior? I had not. I began working at CEC the month after I graduated from college. Was electronics manufacturing something you sought out? I definitely happened into electronics man- ufacturing. What I sought at the time was a strong, reputable company close to home. I liked that the job was not a wheels-and-gears application of mechanical engineering. Do you see a career path for yourself? I see huge potential for my career path here. I am excited about the prospect of taking on new roles and maybe creating new positions within the company as we grow and branch our capabilities into new parts of the market. What attracted you to the printed circuit board fabrication industry? I have had jobs at places for the last 15 years throughout school and everything, and I have never had so many people tell me, "I know so- and-so who works there and they really like it!" What is your educational background? I went to Gogebic Community College for one year to complete some generals, then I transferred to Northern Michigan University for a couple years working toward a degree in Elementary Education. Just before I began stu- dent teaching, I transferred to Michigan Tech- nological University and got my degree in me- chanical engineering. Do you find you use your degree in your job? I do find that I use my degree in my job. Me- chanical engineering is a broad study. I use the variable-isolating, test-running and -reporting, and root-cause-analyzing aspects of my train- ing more than the motion-describing, equa- tion-theorizing, and number crunching as- pects. I work with the presses and CNC ma-