This month we’re spotlighting Horberg Apprentice Quinn H. She’s a Naugatuck Valley high school graduate and a Housatonic Community College student who has successfully transitioned from training in manufacturing to proving incredible workmanship here at Horberg Industries.
We took a few minutes to get to know more about Quinn and why manufacturing careers remain so important today.
Watch Quinn’s exclusive interview in the video below to hear more.
Quinn, who originally planned to attend college and study art or music, found herself enrolled in the Housatonic Manufacturing program thanks to a nudge from her high school woodworking teacher.
The program, which she took in her junior year, brought hands-on learning right to the school. From basics like how to use machines to how to set-up them up, Quinn admits she learned quite a bit in the 2 years she trained in manufacturing from quality control and inspection to sharpening her algebra skills.
Her teacher’s recognition of her talent and capabilities proved correct and Quinn enjoyed the manufacturing program so much that she joined the apprenticeship program offered by The WorkPlace – which provides workforce development programs to prepare people for careers while strengthening the workforce for employers.
Once she earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Housatonic Community College, Quinn began working at Horberg Industries and says she is still learning something new all the time while she works.
Our team was immediately impressed by the new apprentice’s ability to catch on, not only for the centerless grinding but also anywhere else she was asked to assist, such as Escos (Swiss screw machines) and secondaries (CNC surface grinder).
“We are happy to participate in a workforce training program like that offered by The WorkPlace because it helps those entering the workforce for our future to get training in career paths they may have never considered before. Quinn’s willingness and abilities, in our small shop, quickly earned her the trust and respect of her fellow staff,” said David Chonko, VP of Operations.
Quinn also says her hands-on experience in the field has helped her come to appreciate the importance of manufacturing as an industry today and why a balance between robots and automation and being creative in the process is key.
In the future, Quinn hopes to take all of the skills and knowledge she’s acquiring now and consider any job – even in manufacturing- which she now knows has so many career path options to consider.