Can you tell us a little bit about your role?
I design, program and deploy robotics and automation solutions for Stanley Black & Decker’s manufacturing plants, which can reduce labor costs for the company, improve efficiency, increase safety, and reallocate human resources to less repetitive and labor-intensive tasks.
How did you get into the profession/what inspired you?
I studied mechanical engineering in college, and I believe that has helped tremendously in getting me to where I am right now. During college, I took various classes in math, physics, and other sciences. I also took up a robotics research assistant position in my last year that further affirmed my interest in the area of automation and robotics.
What advice do you have for students or individuals who may be considering pursuing skilled trades?
I would say acquire the foundational knowledge in math, physics, and more specifically mechanical engineering and robotics. I learned a lot of these skills in college and was able to further develop them during my time as a research assistant. But something that I did not realize until I had started at my current position, is that communication skills are just as important as any other skills you would need for this job.
What’s one misperception that people have about your job?
It is quite common to hear people say automation eliminates jobs. However, I, and many others, are in this field because we believe that automation greatly improves the efficiency of manufacturing processes, thus allowing for more projects, and eventually more products to be created. The money it saved in the process can be invested into employee training, creating more job opportunities, and research and design opportunities. On top of this, one of the most important benefits I believe that automation brings is that it ensures the safety of human workers. Technology advances have brought many positive changes throughout the world and I believe that robotics is no different.