Across the globe, we’re proud to host initiatives that unlock employee potential and empower our teams with new skills.
‘Pathway to Machinist’ is one such initiative, granting individuals at our Memphis site with the opportunity to attend Moore Tech College of Technology and study for their Machining Certification in CNC (computer numerical control) machines. Under Smith+Nephew’s tuition reimbursement scheme, employees can undertake an in-depth two-year course that combines rich technical knowledge with hands-on practice.
The initiative was started in 2022 by Niki Barnes, Manufacturing Training Coordinator, with the assistance of Tony Hillard, Manufacturing Supervisor, and Jason Guess, Manufacturing Manager. The first students, nine in total, graduated in July of this year. Their ceremony was a proud moment, marking the graduates’ hard work, dedication and drive in a celebration with their families.
The program’s inaugural cohort are loving life as Smith+Nephew Machinists in Memphis. Recent graduate, Claude Wiley, feels very positive about the program’s impact: “It had been decades since the last time that I sat in a classroom, but Niki and the Pathway to Machinist Program made the journey easy and I now have the career of my dreams.”
His classmate, LaQuida Walker, echoes his sentiment: “Joining the Pathway to Machinist Program was one of the best decisions I ever made for my career.”
The pathway is showing no signs of stopping, with nine new students starting their certification in September 2024, while others take on HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) programmes and engineering degrees.
We can’t wait to see them succeed.