MARS HILL, Maine — On Wednesday, March 28, former Central Aroostook High School student Cody Giberson returned to the school to speak with students and share advice about potential college and career choices.
Giberson is a senior in Northern Maine Community College’s precision machining technology program. After graduating from CAHS in 2015, he originally enrolled in engineering at the University of Maine’s engineering program in Orono, before transferring to the University of Maine at Presque Isle due to financial reasons. He chose criminal justice at UMPI, but wanted a program with more hands-on learning.
Giberson told a group of 10 middle and high school students in CAHS’s library that precision machining has allowed him to combine his interest in engineering with a field that involves technical and machining skills. He spoke about course requirements and internship and job opportunities he has gained during the past two years.
In addition to working in NMCC’s precision machining lab, Giberson completed a summer internship at ODAT Machine in Gorham last year and now has several job offers from manufacturing facilities both inside and outside Aroostook County.
“Most of the people in my class have had several job offers well before we’ll even graduate,” Giberson said. “There’s always a demand for employers. I know, for example, that Pratt and Whitney in North Berwick, Maine, plans to hire 350 people this year and in The County you have Acme Monaco in Presque Isle, Smith and Wesson in Houlton, among others.”
CAHS’s Lunch and Learn series began in October 2017 as a way to bring students together with professionals from various fields. On a few Wednesdays every month, students gather in the library for an informal lunch of pizza while hearing success stories from County people.
Thus far the series has brought in professionals from law enforcement, healthcare and education, and will feature CAHS alumna Shannon Scully, now a hairdresser, on April 4 and Leigh Belair, of UMPI’s Medical Laboratory Technology program, on April 25.
“We wanted to try an event that is more personal than career day, and so we reached out to students for ideas,” said Sadie Shaw, CAHS guidance counselor. “Having former students come back is always awesome because it shows students what they can accomplish.”
Giberson suggested math courses such as geometry, algebra and trigonometry as good preparations for the precision machining field.
“Two days a week from 7 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. I’m in the lab working on actual products for companies just like I was at a real job,” Giberson said. “All of us work with the same software that employees use in actual companies.” He cited computer numerical control operators/programmers, precision machinists and quality control inspectors as some of the many careers students can pursue in the precision machining technology field.
After Giberson’s presentation, at least five students expressed interest in the program and possibly meeting with the instructor for a tour of the lab. Isaak Czekalski, a junior at CAHS, said he has looked into precision machining as a possible career and that hearing Giberson speak highly of the field made him willing to find out more.
“I’m like working with computers and I’ve thought about engineering or precision machining as possibilities,” Czekalski said. “It’s nice to know that there’s employment opportunities when you get out of the program.”
Giberson said he was honored to talk to students at his former high school.
“I wish I would’ve known what I know now about the field or else I would never have tried other programs first,” Giberson said. “I think having someone come to school and talk about their experiences is a good thing for all students.”
