Demo day for HVCC students leading to more career opportunities

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- It was a big day for some graduating students on the Troy campus of Hudson Valley Community College. Students showed off their skills in manufacturing to friends, family, and more importantly, industry leaders looking to hire.

The Advanced Manufacturing students showcased their knowledge and skills with live demonstrations and their final projects on display.

"Machines are pretty much everywhere," said Nicholas Keglovitz, who is looking to make a career out of making things. "I got three machines running right now. We are doing the cockpit part. We take a raw piece of material, put a sharp cutting tool, spin it really fast, and cut away that metal."

Faculty coordinator Brian Wickham said, "Some of the parts they are actually rocket fins, a collaboration we did with RPI."

"It showed me a lot of different things. We acted in more of a management role. Mainly, we had a lot of our uniquely abled kids come in, and they were actually running the machines. I stepped back a little bit and became a programmer," said Keglovitz.

Wickham explained, "There is a shortage of machinist and skill trades in the area. All the local manufacturers I talk to, they are dying for people, can't find them."

The high demand careers, setting these students up for success even before they graduate. "I mean, I'm coming out of here making $38 an hour where before I was barely making $20," Keglovitz said.

The live demo day put different projects on display, providing another chance for future employers to see what these students are capable of creating. There are 10 graduates in this year's Advanced Manufacturing program. They will be graduating on Saturday, May 11.