Manufacturing Program Reveals New Career for Office Worker

NEW HAVEN, CT - Moving throughout his workday at Sikorsky Aircraft, it is hard for Gordon Wong to imagine that a few months ago he was at a desk job dreaming of a career change.

Gordon graduated from Skill Up for Manufacturing at CT State Gateway in May, and since then each day presents new experiences since he left his 18-year office position, most recently as a senior administrative assistant at the Yale University School of Medicine, to learn about manufacturing at CT State Gateway. In June, he started at Sikorsky as an Avionics Assembler.

Gordon wanted to work in manufacturing for some time but had limited experience with machines and knew finding employment in the field was not likely. He said the Skill Up program changed his perspective and gave him confidence to forge a new path.

“I was looking for something different. My wife works in manufacturing and made it sound so good,” he said. “I enjoy using machines. The training was invaluable. The course itself was fantastic,” he said, adding that he is enjoying his new position. “It’s amazing,” Gordon said. “I barely look at a computer. It’s hands-on.”

His sister-in-law introduced him to a friend at Pratt & Whitney, who completed the Skill Up for Manufacturing program and told him about it. Working with machines appealed to him. As a father to a two-year-old, Gordon credited his wife and in-laws for supporting him during the training to ensure he could focus on his studies.

Since 2019, CT State Gateway has graduated 271 students from Skill Up for Manufacturing. Students complete classwork at the college, eventually moving to the shop floor at Eli Whitney Technical High School in Hamden.

Besides learning about manufacturing, students in Skill Up receive help working on their resumes and on practice pitches where they grow more comfortable with interview skills. With this help, Gordon found that he was able to see that he could demonstrate how his administrative skills tied in with a manufacturing job. Skill Up training also includes a virtual job fair set up specifically for students in the class to meet with interested employers like Holo-Krome, Ulbrich Steel, and Smiths Medical, giving candidates the ability to introduce themselves before they have graduated from the program.