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Edge Factor Host Talks Manufacturing at MCCTC
CANFIELD, Ohio -- Jeremy Bout's job as host and producer of Edge Factor, an online show featuring manufacturers from across the country, puts him in contact with all sorts of people.
There was a snowmobile racer whose leg was amputated after an accident that designed a new prosthetic that, allowing him to continue competing.
Along the way was an engineer for SpaceX, the company recently awarded a $2.6 billion contract to design “space taxis” for NASA, who started his career building guitars in California.
And just under a month ago was the world's first car built entirely through additive manufacturing, produced by Local Motors in Chicago. The car, which runs on an electric motor, can be designed to look like whatever the owner wants, Bout commented.
On Thursday, Bout spent the day talking to students from across the Mahoning Valley about the potential within the manufacturing industry.
“Maybe [a student] will realize they don't like operating the machine, but it's the marketing side [that attracts them.] Manufacturing is very diverse in what it can offer students today and there's a huge need [in those areas,]” Bout said.
He also pointed to the design and testing sectors of manufacturing as areas students could look at if they didn't want to get directly into manufacturing. The most important thing, he told the students, was that they take advantage of every opportunity.
“There's a lot of emphasis on exploring these areas of manufacturing from additive to subtractive to welding to design. There's so many things going on. Open your eyes and dig in deep because this could be the platform that you could build off of,” he said. “Take responsibility right now. Don't think you can delay thinking about what your future holds. Start to explore and experience to maximize opportunities.”
The event at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center was staged by the Oh-Penn Manufacturing Collaborative to commemorate National Manufacturing Day, which is today. Jessica Borza, executive director of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturing Coalition, noted to students that there are nearly 1,200 businesses in the manufacturing industry in the five Ohio and Pennsylvania counties involved in Oh-Penn, something Bout said plays a role in the success of the students.
“What I see today is opportunity for success,” he said. “Every community I roll into, whether it's Mahoning County or out in California, has shops and people who had an idea that they brought to life. … Here I've driven through the streets and met many business and innovative people that have brought their ideas to life.”
After the event, students went to labs where they could learn more different sectors, including engineering and aerospace. Many students came away from the event excited about what they had seen; several referred to the amputee who designed a new leg for himself and now sells similar versions to people across the country.
“He just sat in his [hospital bed] and came up with the [schematics] to make a robotic leg,” Canfield High School student Tyler Ambrose said in awe.
For Chad Nedzelski, a Western Reserve High School student, seeing what the people Bout has met have achieved affirmed his life's dream.
“I want to open up my own garage and build cars,” he said. “Ever since I was growing up, I watched Chip Foose and Monster Garage and shows like that. I've wanted to take cars and then just make something wild with it. It's just what I grew up wanting [to do].”
Nedzelski added that seeing someone go from building guitars to working for a company on the cutting edge of technology showed what he could achieve from small beginnings.
“People start out with nothing and turn around to make things helpful for everyone,” he says. “It's about starting off with the basics, turning around and making things first class, just working for the top of the line stuff.”
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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