2021 Breakout Sessions

Deciding on a career path can be challenging and stressful with so many choices. Passions, core values, interests, and aptitudes all play a part in determining one's niche in the world. With a few self-reflection activities, Taylor would love to help students find their calling.

Taylor Smith, 23, is the Marketing Coordinator at Onex Inc., an employee-owned manufacturing company in Erie. At age 17, she moved from small-town USA to New York City where she studied Communication Arts and then grew to find her passions in manufacturing and marketing.

Acutec Precision Aerospace recognizes that their most valuable asset is their team members, they invest in their team, and are focused on continuous education and development.  Employing nearly 25 interns each year, Acutec focuses on the long-term success of each intern, partnering them with team members in departments that can assist them in reaching their goals as a student and professional.  Additionally, Acutec Precision Aerospace has recently partnered with Allegheny College, combining art and science and creating pathways to transformative opportunities for students while in college and long after they graduate.

Jayne Martin is a Human Resources Generalist, and Safety Lead at Acutec Precision Aerospace, Inc.  She is from Meadville, a 2015 graduate of Meadville Area Senior High and alumni of Slippery Rock University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Safety Management.  Jayne began her career at Acutec in 2018 as the Human Resources and Safety Intern, after a small hiatus to DC Jayne returned to Acutec fulltime in March of 2020.

Tom Swanberg is a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer at Acutec Precision Aerospace. He started his career in High School working a summer job at a local machine and fabrication shop. At Northern Illinois University, he earned an Engineering degree and held an internship at a Local Electricians hand tool manufacturing plant. Directly after college, Tom began his career in Engineering at Acutec in the Spring of 2015. He is responsible for designing and implementing fixturing and tooling, process improvement efforts, and process planning of machined aerospace components. He is also responsible for leading and mentoring the Acutec ASCEND Engineering interns. 

Apprenticeships offer an opportunity to train for a high-tech high-demand careers while earning a paycheck, achieving industry-recognized credentials and gaining real-world, hands-on experience.  Join a local employer and an apprentice as they discuss the value of apprenticeships and their personal experiences.  

(9:15 session) Ryan Katen is a second-generation owner of Plastikos and Micro Mold.  As General Manager of Micro Mold, Ryan oversees manufacturing processes that build the most technically demanding and highest quality plastics injection molds.  Ryan holds a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering from Purdue University.  Before starting at Micro Mold, Ryan worked as an Industrial Engineer at a large Medical OEM. 

(9:15 session) Kurt Perotti is a 4^th year apprentice at Micro Mold.

(11:15 session) Starn Tool & Manufacturing Co.

How can students earn a paycheck and gain valuable work experience during high school?  Did you know it's possible for seniors to attend schools only half a day while working the other half a day?  Mrs. Stein and Mr. Askins will present options for CTC students as well as ALL high school students.  Learn about "Signing Day" and how 33 students turned a co-op experience into full-time employment upon graduating in 2021. 

Mrs. Bonnie Stein taught Cosmetology at the Crawford County Career and Technical Center prior to assuming her role as Cooperative Education instructor.  She is a graduate of the Crawford County Area Vocational Technical School Cosmetology department and Maplewood High School.  Bonnie was a top hair stylist over a seventeen-year period prior to pursuing her Vocational I and II Instructor Teaching Certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education through Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Scott Phillip Askins Jr. is currently the Cooperative Education Instructor for the Career and Technical Education Department at Erie High School.  Phil grew up in the grocery business, working at his father’s store from the time he was 8 years old.  Mr. Askins graduated from Iroquois High School and Penn State –Behrend.  He worked at Wegman’s Food Market during college and continued to work there after graduation.  Eventually, he decided to follow his passion for teaching and received his Master’s degree at Mercyhurst College.  He taught Marketing at Central Tech before receiving his Certificate in Cooperative Education.  Mr. Askins had the honor of being named Co-op coordinator at Central Tech in 2014.

Various programming principles learned at Edinboro, as well as the applied mathematics and 3D graphics that are also offered.  How these principles were used for a project that focuses on the application of C++ programming, linear algebra, and computer graphics to create an anti-gravity racing game made with Unreal Engine 4.  A playable demo and slides showcasing a program during runtime as well as the various algorithms that make that execution possible.  And how this skill set ties into potential careers.

Dylan Whitehead is a senior studying Computer Science at Edinboro University with a minor in Mathematics and a minor in Data Science. He has worked on various projects and independent studies during his time at Edinboro and looks to apply the skills he has practiced to a career in the software industry.

3D printing is a fast-growing manufacturing technology with the potential to disrupt the way engineers design, manufacturers produce, and business function. Just how big of an impact will this technology have on manufacturing in the future, though? Join us, as we discuss the myths and truths surround 3D printing.

Dan Fernback co-founded JuggerBot 3D after graduating from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Dan is one of the original Ambassadors to Additive Manufacturing at Youngstown State University, and spent five years working in the automotive industry with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain management while launching JuggerBot 3D. Since it’s inception, JuggerBot 3D has established themselves as a leader in large format industrial 3D printers, and proudly manufactures their Tradesman Series™ in Youngstown, Ohio.