Why I am at MATC

Why I am at MATC!!!

I am at Milwaukee Area Technical College for several reasons.  The most important reason I believe is that I wanted to attend a school that I could learn something useful.

After I graduated high school in 2000 from Pulaski (MPS), I started working for Falk as a CNC Machine Operator(3rd shift).  I found that the job was extremely boring.  I would set up a machine and sit around for 2 to 3 hours because of cycle times.  I knew that this was not what I wanted to do with my life, even knowing my father, brothers, cousins, and uncles all worked there.  I thought I need to find something on my own.

While I still worked at Falk I knew this person that worked part time at Milwaukee Wire Products (now Charter Automotive) as a Operator(2nd shift), I was told they were looking for someone so I went in to talk to the 1st shift supervisor who hired me on the spot.  During that time I was considered a operator, I was very curious and talked the main Setup personnel to show me how to set up the cold formers.  If you know nothing about cold formers please feel free to visit the following web site http://www.nationalmachinery.com. Cold formers are very complicated high speed machinery that are manually adjusted a engineering marvel.

I was at Milwaukee Wire for 6 months as a operator when they offered me a large hourly rate to go full time as a setup in the cold form department.  I decided to take the job and parted ways from Falk.  During the next 2 years I just loved what I did and the people I worked with.  I still to this day think that was the best job that I have ever had.

As everyone knows changes will always occur if you like it or not.  I had my first child when I was 20 years old.  I remember the day that he came into this world and held.  I knew that things would have to change if I wanted to be able to spend more time with my new family.  I decided to go back to school at that moment.  You would think for most people that deciding what to go for would be difficult, but I knew what I wanted to do.  I wanted to design machines like the cold former that I worked on.

So the age of school started for me.  I applied at MSOE for there engineering program, but found out how expensive and long it would take me so I decided to go to MATC for the Mechanical Design Technology degree.  I have to say that was the best move I did for my family.  I transferred to a different position at Milwaukee Wire Products so I could get on first shift because all of my classes where in the evening.  I loved all of my instructors and learned so much.  When I completed the degree I was promoted to a Tool Designer and soon after a Tooling and Automation Designer.  I was very good at what I did, in fact 2 years after I was promoted they laid off 4 other engineers and gave me three of there responsibilities.  At this time I was working 60 to 70 hours and wanted to move on.  When I was applying for other positions no one would even interview me because I did not have a bachelor degree.

So I was in luck, one of the individuals that was laid off told me that Ark-Les where I work needed a Manufacturing Engineer.  I went in and talked to the Vice President and immediately turned down the job.  The technology in the building was not at the level that I wanted.  A month went by and I received a phone call asking me what it would take for me to come and work with them.  I was kind of shocked that they asked so I told them a extremely high salary and 100% schooling paid for no strings attached.  The Operation Manager told me to come by after work and pick up the contract.  He told me to talk it over with my wife and to let him know Tuesday the next week.  So of course I ended up taking the job.

Three months went by and I started going full time to MSOE.  MSOE is a good school but I didn't like all of the theory.  I thought for the price I paid for my degree I didn't learn anything useful in regards to my employment.  I did get the piece of paper which makes me look better and more employable.

Back to why I decided to back to MATC for a IT Programming/ Analysis degree.  I have been performing a lot of programming from Robotics to databases and window executable's.  I was talking to a bunch of engineers and they all were discussing that they were going to back for a MBA.  I thought of doing the same thing, but I didn't want to learn something that I would never use.  What is a piece of paper if you can't do something with it.  I was looking at numerous other schools trying to decide where I should go. My requirements where online because of family and cost.  I looked at different schools and when I found that MATC offered the IT Programming/ Analysis degree entirely online I knew that was where I was going to go.  The best part about going to MATC is that I only have 12 classes that are all related to my program because I took all of my General Education during my first degree.

That is why I am at MATC and know that I will learn usable skills for my everyday activity.  Do I think I will ever go into IT?  Probably not, but I can still learn a new skill that will help support my existing career choice.

Good Luck to all who heads for the stars!