LaunchPoint, a new series on Cox7, spotlights the technology of manufacturing and the people who make manufacturing work.
Each episode of LaunchPoint follows the journey of someone into the fast-paced and growing world of advanced manufacturing. We watch their talents turn into passions, as they build careers filled with endless opportunities.
Martin Edge and Jacob Tucker are featured in the first two episodes. The stories of how advanced manufacturing changed both of their lives are inspiring.
Martin, who won a green card lottery, came to Arizona from South Africa and found a home in industrial design at Gateway Community College in Phoenix. He worked quickly through the training and secured a job at Nichols Precision in Tempe, Arizona, where he works on building components for things like aircraft, missiles, and even the Mars Rover for the Department of Defense.
Jacob overcame a troubled childhood to use his talent with computers to turn his life around. He now works for Ceilings Plus, contributing in both design and fabrication engineering.
Both men, each from different backgrounds, recognized the importance of the human element of manufacturing.
Martin says, “People are the crux of what makes things happen. Anybody can buy a machine.” He’s used his skill and creativity to build an out-of-the-box camera that fastens to a skydiver’s shoelaces during a jump. (I likely won’t be needing such a camera, but it’s good to know where to go in case I change my mind.)
Jacob put his challenges behind him and pushed himself in his education, learning to work in a team setting and even winning a manufacturing challenge competition. “You can’t just take the talents that you have and use them for yourself, you have to involve the people around you,” he says.
Both Martin and Jacob took their talents and put them to use in a field that only grows larger and more advanced with talent and motivation like theirs. LaunchPoint shows opportunities are clearly endless in the manufacturing sector, launching promising careers and innovations.
The next episode airs June 1st, at 6:30 pm and again at 8:30 pm. Check out the latest episodes at http://www.cox7.com/launchpoint.
