Posted on March 26, 2016 by Institute of Technical Trades
If you are interested in a CNC career, it is recommended to do some research before taking steps to pursue this area. A CNC career involves a lengthy amount of essential practical experience, on-the-job training, technical aptitude, and background education. In an interview with Mike Lynch from
CNC Concepts, a supplier of training materials for CNC career specialists, many points of interest for pursuing a CNC career are covered. Lynch first states how it is imperative to be good with your hands and to know how to use special tools. “While all of these [important] skills can be learned through technical school training, a person entering this field should like working with their hands.”
Lynch also states the importance of familiarizing oneself with the materials and technology used in CNC machining. There are a number of certain designated tools and measuring devices one must be familiar with in a CNC career. Skills with these tools can be learned in technical schools and on-the-job training. There are many technical/vocational schools, colleges, and universities in most areas offering excellent courses in manufacturing, including CNC career training. Additionally, most companies using CNC equipment are willing to train entry level employees who are willing to learn. However, the more training one has when beginning their CNC career, the higher level position one can attain.
Related job titles in CNC can include CNC or Setup Person, Computer Aided Design (CAD) or Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) programmer, and CNC coordinator. Other careers related to CNC machining are manufacturing engineers and tool makers or designers, quality engineers, mold makers, and several others. While some manufacturing companies take on temporary or part time help in these types of roles, most CNC career paths require full time commitment. However, it is also important to consider how many companies provide internships for college students in related fields for summer work.
There are many local schools with excellent
CNC career training options. Most work closely with the local industry to ensure their courses meet the needs of companies in their area. An appropriate curriculum will likely include: shop practices (blueprint reading, shop math, principles of machining operations, and some hands on with manually operated machine tools), manual programming, operating and setting up CNC machines, computer usage basics, CNC career related software applications, numerical control systems, and estimating costs. In each of these study areas, the more hands-on the training is, the better the training can end up being for the CNC career trainees in their future professional career stages.
After reviewing this overview of career steps, you should be well on your way to knowing if the CNC career path is right for you. If you are interested in a CNC career, the Institute of Technical Trade offers a wide variety of educational resources for learning CNC career training, including machining and much more. We cover everything from the basics, to the expert knowledge you should have for a CNC career. For more information, visit
www.instituteoftechnicaltrades.com or call 1-800-461-4981 or 416-750-1950.
