• TOPICS
    • Design
    • Manufacturing
    • Inspection
    • Heat Treating
    • Lubrication
    • Materials
    • The Gear Industry
    • Gears by Type
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Departments
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Subscribe
  • VIDEO
    • Gear Technology TV
      • Ask the Expert Live
      • Revolutions
    • Industry Videos
  • BLOGS
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • NEWS and EVENTS
    • Product News
    • Industry News
    • Events
  • ADVERTISING
    • Brand Awareness
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
    • Response & Lead Generation
      • Online: Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • Online: Buyers Guide
    • Print Advertising
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Print: IMTS Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • Print: Specifications
    • Online Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • Online: Buyers Guide
      • Online: Specifications
    • E-mail Advertising
      • E-mail: E-Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Specifications
    • Special Promotions
      • Print: IMTS Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
  • CONTACT US
  • AGMA
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Education
    • Emerging Technology
    • AGMA Media
    • Standards
Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Blogs » Gear Talk With Chuck » Retail Management Career to Gear Manufacturing: Who Would Have Guessed?

Gear Talk With Chuck
Gear Talk With Chuck RSS FeedRSS

Manufacturing / Cutting Tools / Processes / Tool Sharpening / Broaching / Deburring / Grinding / Hobbing
Charles schultz
Chuck Schultz is a licensed engineer, Gear Technology Technical Editor, and Chief Engineer for Beyta Gear Service. He has written the "Gear Talk with Chuck" blog for Gear Technology since 2014.

Retail Management Career to Gear Manufacturing: Who Would Have Guessed?

January 22, 2019
Charles D. Schultz
No Comments
In 2012, Rj Link International hired Matt Rossiter as a gear machinist and entered him into the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association Apprenticeship Program (RRVTMA). Matt had spent four years in the Air Force after graduating from high school, and then went into retail management for 13 years at a large store in the Rockford, IL area. Matt had never considered a career in manufacturing before meeting with the owner of Rj Link Int. — Rod Link — to talk about an apprenticeship program. That meeting was the beginning of Matt’s path into manufacturing. The 4-year apprenticeship program would involve taking classes at Rock Valley College, while working full time at Rj Link Int. Although Matt passed a mechanical aptitude test, his biggest challenge was that he had no exposure to the manufacturing industry, and no experience with machines. Matt initially started off job shadowing, and was able to get hands-on experience in each department. Matt reflects back on his introduction to the manufacturing industry. He stated, “Rj Link took a chance on me when I had little or no experience in this field, and entered me into the apprenticeship program. It has been a great experience, and the program has allowed me to totally change my career and life. This has opened pathways and new possibilities for an engineering career in manufacturing — something that probably would not have been available without Rj Link setting me up in the apprenticeship program.” Although Matt started out with no manufacturing experience, some of his responsibilities have included the set up and operation of Rj Link’s hobbing, broaching and gear grinding machines, as well as operating lathes, mills and working in assembly. On March 24, 2017 Matt received his Journeyman Gear Cutting Machinist Certificate. Matt expressed that by Rj Link investing time, money, and giving him the opportunity to train hands-on, will make him a better engineer if he decides to pursue that pathway in manufacturing. To achieve the Journeyman Gear Cutting Machinist Certificate, each apprentice must complete the following:
  • Gear Cutting: 3,000 hours
  • Gear Finishing: 2,000 hours
  • Secondary Gear Operations: 500 hours
  • Deburring: 500 hours
  • Inspection: 1,000 hours
  • Tool Sharpening: 500 hours
  • Customizable time for Apprentice/Company: 500 hours
TOTAL: 8,000 hours To learn more about RRVTMA’s Apprenticeship Programs, visit http://www.rrvtma.com/about-apprenticeships.

Recent Comments

Thank you for this - Happy Saint Patrick's...

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
FEATURED VIDEO
  • Kapp3
    Kapp Niles ZP 20 Set-up
May 6, 2022
RECOMMENDED
  • Hardness Testing Gears — Know Your Options for Best Results

    April 25, 2022
    Starrett1.jpg
  • Kapp Niles Examines Intelligent Rolling Grinding for E-mobility

    April 25, 2022
    Opening Image.jpg
  • The New Age of Bronze

    April 25, 2022
    Barton1.jpg
  • Making Gear Grinding Transparent

    May 19, 2022
    Picture6.png
  • LPC Carburizing: The Affordable Alternative to Gas Carburizing

    April 25, 2022
    Nitrex2.jpg
  • Making Gear Grinding Transparent

    May 19, 2022
    Picture6.png
  • LPC Carburizing: The Affordable Alternative to Gas Carburizing

    April 25, 2022
    Nitrex2.jpg
  • Hardness Testing Gears — Know Your Options for Best Results

    April 25, 2022
    Starrett1.jpg
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • AGMA
Powered byAGMA
Copyright © 2022 Gear Technology
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact