Before long, Stacy was approached by her supervisor who asked if she, along with some of her peers, would be interested in participating in an apprenticeship opportunity sponsored by the Council of Industry and Department of Labor. To fulfill requirements of the program she would enroll in advanced manufacturing courses at SUNY WCC that would prepare her to sit for the nationally recognized NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) certification. What’s more, All Within My Hands Metallica Scholars Initiative, supported through the American Association of Community Colleges, would provide a full scholarship. Stacy was in! “Stacy hit her cadence, realizing while at SUNY WCC, the importance of keeping current – especially in her field where technology is constantly changing and very quickly. Lifelong learning fits her personality.” Jim Irvine, Director, Corporate & Continuing Education, Professional Development Center The training lab at SUNY WCC was set up like a machine shop and outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. It was here that Stacy “started to fall in love with manufacturing.” As she says, “There’s something oddly satisfying watching a block of metal turn into something else.” In CNC lathe and mill operator classes, Stacy was introduced to machines and techniques that normally take years for a machinist to come across. This hands-on training, along with classes on manufacturing theory, contributed to Stacy feeling extraordinarily well-positioned to advance in her career. In just three semesters, Stacy earned her four NIMS certifications and moved to Giuliante Machine Tool, Inc. (GMT) where she’s chosen to be an operator. Her long-term goal is to acquire enough experience to be able to build parts for her own custom cars but for now, Stacy is content to simply run a CNC mill rather than program it, while she takes in the new environment and absorbs everything she can. All Within My Hands, In More Ways Than One Stacy grew up tinkering with small appliances. In high school, she took welding and liked it, though not as much as her sister before her who is now a professional welder. She attended two semesters of college, but bored, dropped out and took a job at Bantam Tools on the assembly line. This physical work was much more to her liking, and when a job in the machine shop became available, she took it. STUDENTS STACY YONNONE METALLICA SCHOLAR “Metallica’s Scholarship has changed my life.” Stacy Yonnone For our full 2024 annual report with more student stories, visit www.sunywcc.edu/annual-report-2024 5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM2NjgzMA==