In searching for a change in the direction of his career, Brent Lee decided to enroll in Goodwin College’s Quality Management Systems associate degree program. He had already graduated with a bachelor’s degree from a Connecticut state school and has been working as a graphic designer.

Now he is taking advantage of Goodwin’s evening and online class options to pursue his Quality Management Systems degree while working full time in Massachusetts for a distribution company making signs for local businesses. The schedule allows Lee to balance continuing his education while still earning a paycheck.

He decided to make the transition into manufacturing because of the stability this field will offer him in the years to come. “I’m looking for opportunities locally, and Connecticut has a lot of manufacturing jobs available,” he said.

Lee’s father worked in manufacturing at a fiber optics company. “My dad would bring home samples from work, which I thought was cool,” Lee noted. “I love the TV show called How it’s Made. I’m good with software and I’m a team player, so the manufacturing program spoke to me.”

Lee’s interest in manufacturing was piqued when Vice President Joe Biden visited Goodwin’s campus in 2014 to discuss the importance of maintaining well paying jobs in the United States instead of outsourcing those opportunities to other countries.

“I decided on Quality Management Systems to focus on quality, control, and safety processes, and I can use my transferrable skills from my career in graphic design,” Lee said.

In Goodwin’s Quality Management Systems program, students gain an understanding of manufacturing principles, quality inspection techniques, interpreting engineering blueprints, problem solving, measurement and test, calibration, lean manufacturing, Statistical Process Control, teamwork, and supplier quality control. They earn 61 college credits and have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized, portable credential from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) as a Certified Production Technician (CPT).

As for the classes and educational environment offered at the College, Lee noted, “Goodwin has a great mix of people from different backgrounds. Some are young and coming right out of high school; some are changing careers; and others are already working in the field and their employers are paying for them to go back to school.”

Lee believes that Goodwin is preparing him for a lifelong career. “When I graduate, I would like to work for a large manufacturing company where there are opportunities to grow and climb the ladder.”

Interested in learning more about a manufacturing degree at Goodwin College? Learn more today, or check out all of our programs to see why we’re a leading manufacturing and machining school in CT! You can also interact with us on Facebook or Twitter!