60 Seconds with Sam Kurten, Engineering intern at Matrix, a ProMach product brand

Sam Kurten, Matrix

Title: Engineering intern, Matrix, a ProMach product brand

Location: Cedarsburg, Wisc.

Experience: Participating in a two-year high school apprentice program focused on machining and engineering

Modern: Tell us a little about yourself, and how you got interested in this apprenticeship program?

Kurten: I’m a senior at Cedarsburg High School in Wisconsin. At the end of my sophomore year, my metalworking teacher introduced us to the Ozaukee Apprenticeship Program. At the time, my plan was to go into healthcare. I wanted to become a trauma surgeon in the military because I have family members who are surgeons and nurses.

But as I learned about the different careers in engineering and manufacturing, I thought the experience would be invaluable. And, ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed learning how things worked. It honestly ended up being the best path for me.

Modern: How did you apply for the program? What was involved?

Kurten: I applied to be part of the program, and a variety of companies called me. I ended up going with Matrix because their program was going to allow me to understand the whole manufacturing process from machining on the shop floor to engineering. It’s from start to finish. I thought that getting more experience was going to be helpful as I figure out my career path going forward.

Modern: What are the skills you’re learning and the kinds of equipment you’re working on?

Kurten: The program began in the summer after my sophomore year. That summer, and my first year, I worked in the machine shop and was focused on machining. We use a lot of Haas CNC machines, which I had experience working on in high school. The other thing we did my first year was to learn how to use the measurement equipment, such as micrometers and bore gauges.

Last summer, I transitioned to the engineering side of things. I started by learning how to read and revise blueprints, and then learned how to use CAD and other engineering software. I’ve also been learning about things like torque and gear ratios. From there, I moved on to working on some small products, like brackets for mounting pneumatics. Lately, I’ve been working on a part for the web trimmer for one of our machines that is currently a demonstration machine, but may extend into the product lineup.

Modern: Describe a typical day.

Kurten: Over the two summers, I worked 40-hour weeks so I could get involved in depth while I had time. During the school year, we have an alternating schedules, where we do one set of classes one day and another set the next day. On one of those days, I leave at 1:00 and work at Matrix until 6 p.m.. So, it’s two or three days a week, depending on the schedule for that week.

Modern: You’re a senior. When the year is over, what’s next?

Kurten: I’m definitely going to go to a four-year school for engineering. What I’ve learned from the apprenticeship is that’s where my passion is.

Modern: What do you enjoy about working in manufacturing?

Kurten: What I enjoy is the hands-on side of manufacturing. Even as an engineer, it’s important to me that I still get out on the plant floor to work with the machines. I wanted to understand how parts are made and how they work. I want to make the machinist’s job manageable.