Westminster Tool Launches “Manufacturing Careers in the Making” Video Series

To celebrate national manufacturing day and manufacturing month, Westminster Tool (Plainfield, Connecticut) kicks off its “Manufacturing Careers in the Making” four-part video series. Each week, the company will highlight one team member and the path that led them to Westminster Tool in a video on the company’s blog page.

“What better way to advocate for opportunities in manufacturing than looking inward at our own rising talent?” says Westminster Tool founder and president, Ray Coombs. “We come together all the time and share a passion for what we do. But a lot of people outside the company don’t get to see that. Everyone here has a different story for how they heard about us, why they applied, why they joined and why they’ve stayed.”

Each video showcases the spotlight employees’ diversity of skill, educational background and motivation. Job responsibilities held by those featured in the series range from CNC machine operation, design engineering, plastics injection molding and research and development. Some of their interest in manufacturing began at technical high school or in engineering school, and others joined later as an opportunity for a fresh start.

What the video participants all share is an eagerness to learn, an opportunity they say they’ve found at Westminster Tool. “We hope that one video can be the story that a student identifies with when they’re considering a career in manufacturing for the first time,” Coombs says.

Westminster Tool is wrapping up Manufacturing Month by meeting one-on-one with local schools to share the videos with students, teachers and administrators. These in-person events provide a chance to discuss all the different career paths followed by a Q&A session with the four spotlight employees.

Follow the series schedule below:

Part One – Victoria Rooke – Oct. 1

Meet Victoria, a 22-year-old technical school graduate who, despite no prior experience, rose to the position of EDM specialist and CNC team leader in five years at Westminster Tool. Like many, Victoria had preconceptions about the industry. With a little encouragement from her family,  teachers, and mentors, her curiosity led her to Westminster Tool for a job shadowing opportunity, and she was blown away (Victoria was also recognized as an MMT 2021 30 Under 30 honoree).

Part Two – Seth Hale – Oct. 8

Meet Seth, a 27-year-old design engineer who pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and later found himself enthralled with the world of plastics. Today at Westminster Tool, he applies his innate abilities to analyze details when solving complex customer challenges. His classroom studies in plastics engineering lead to projects beyond CAD renderings, forging a new perspective on how to apply engineering concepts in real-world scenarios.

Part Three – Brittany Ellis – Oct. 15

Meet Brittany, a 24-year-old production team member who says her biggest source of motivation is being able to be a mom while developing her skills. That led to interest in the Plastics Program at Three Rivers Community College, where she heard about Westminster Tool from a fellow graduate. Today, she is one of several employees supported by Westminster Tool to keep growing those skills with night classes at the community college. Since joining the team, Brittany is proud to be a part-time student, full-time employee and always a full-time mom.

Part Four – Jonathan Varga – Oct. 22

Meet Jonathan, who at 20 years old has already participated on almost every team at Westminster Tool since joining for a work-based learning program in 2017. Jonathan’s journey began at technical high school and has led him to his current studies at UCONN’s School of Engineering and School of Business. All of his time so far at Westminster Tool has been balanced with being a part-time student, and his drive to explore everything manufacturing has to offer gave him experience in CNC operation, tool making, design and engineering and business development.

To follow the series, visit www.westminstertool.com/2021/10/01/manufacturing-careers-in-the-making-video-series.