National Manufacturing Week runs from October 4–11, 2024.
CT State Middlesex student Bethany Crum was born in Jackson, Michigan, but spent her high school years at Middletown High School. Focused on her future after graduation, Bethany chose to take a year off from school to work full-time and learn how to manage living independently.
Bethany was inspired by her father’s advice about the stability of a career in CNC machining. Encouraged by her grandmother, Donna Crum, who is the program director of the radiology program at Middlesex—along with guidance counselors—Bethany enrolled in the college’s Machine Manufacturing Technology program.
Juggling full-time work and part-time classes, Bethany excelled, especially in the Precision Machining class with professor Joseph Duhaine, whose hands-on teaching gave Bethany the foundational skills she needed.
“I loved this course because it was my first time being able to get my hands on a machine and Joseph gave me the foundation that I needed to spend years cutting metal. He was very thorough in his education, making sure we could manually turn/mill down to tight tolerances, while also maintaining patience and understanding for those of us who had no prior experience,” said Bethany.
After earning a Machine Manufacturing Technology Certificate from CT State Middlesex with honors in 2023, Bethany is pursuing an A.S. in Manufacturing Machine Technology and aiming for a four-year degree in mechanical engineering.
Networking during college led her to a job at The Lee Company, where she manufactures microhydraulic components for aerospace applications.
“My current title is CNC machinist IV, working for the Chek Valve group manufacturing microhydraulic components for aerospace applications. My responsibilities include the setup, loading and operation of two high-tech machines to perform operations that include drilling, milling, turning, grinding and facing. I work from blueprints with tolerances as tight as +/- 0.00025” and frequently have the need to read through and interpret G-Code. I perform weekly preventative maintenance on the machines to ensure that they are long lived,” Bethany explained.
Looking to the future, Bethany plans to further her education and join The Lee Company’s engineering department, believing her practical experience would help improve processes.
She advises prospective students to explore all of CT State Middlesex’s opportunities, emphasizing the support and resources available to help them succeed.
“It’s a place with several opportunities for growth, and provides students with many assistance programs. I have been fortunate enough to not pay for my tuition the past few years because of scholarships from the Middlesex Community College Foundation,” Bethany added. “The school offers free semester rentals of Wi-Fi hotspots, computers and advanced calculators for students who are unable to acquire their own. The college even offers free tutoring for students who want to study more effectively. Middlesex is a place that will truly work to help students succeed so they can open more doors in their future.”
October 2024
