EMentors and Careers
Engineering
Neil Pergar, US Steel
I work as a Project Engineer/Manager for the US Steel Mon Valley Works Engineering Department, managing the capital improvement projects for the primary and rolling steel production operations, along with our central Research & Development facility. Having worked as a maintenance manager for ten years in our operating areas, I have been able to apply my front-line maintenance perspective to the implementation of capital projects within the same operations. My current role involves bringing together engineers, steel producers, and product manufacturers to deliver project financial and/or infrastructure benefits. Within these responsibilities I am often bringing together architectural, electrical, mechanical, and structural engineering drawings and specifications (and making some of my own). I work with our procurement department to receive contractor and vendor bids and analyze these bids for compliance with customer specifications.
Session 1: 1/10/23 from 1-2 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/10/23 from 1-2 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/14/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/20/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Electrician
Matt Fuhrman, Local IBEW 56 (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)
IBEW Local Union 56 is an electrical organization founded in 1897 and located in Erie, Pennsylvania in Erie County. We are the largest construction local union in Erie with over 280 members that serve over 35 contractors in Erie, Warren and Forest counties. We supply skilled electricians to signatory contractors within our jurisdiction. They are highly skilled, professionally trained men and women who are certified electricians capable of performing all aspects of the electrical field. Along with all of the building trades, IBEW Local 56 offer apprenticeships, which is a five-year program. It includes on-the-job training, as well as 800 hours of classroom/lab instruction (at a minimum) in the electrical trade. Our apprentices learn all aspects of the Residential, Commercial and Industrial industry.
Session 1: 1/3/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/7/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/7/23 from 10:30-11:30 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/12/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Apply for the Electrician eMentoring Program!
Marketing
Laurie Knoll, Marketing and Communications Manager, Northwest Industrial Resource Committee
Laurie Knoll is the Marketing & Communication Manager at Northwest Industrial Resource Center (NWIRC). NWIRC is an organization that consults with manufacturing companies in 13 counties of northwestern PA to help them grow and become more competitive. Laurie's role is to create awareness among potential manufacturing clients, and the entire community, of all the things that NWQIRC offers, as well as to create an excitement about the world of manufacturing. She's been with NWIRC for 8 years, but has over 30 years experience with marketing, public relations, sales, and business development from working at a large healthcare organization and in her early days as advertising manager with a regional McDonald's franchise group. On a daily basis, her focus is on all things marketing and communications - including writing / designing publications and sales collateral, social media, video production, email marketing, advertising, media relations, developing new programs, networking and collaborating with community organizations, website management, blogging and much more.
Session 1: 1/10/23 from 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/8/23 from 1-2 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/9/23 from 10:30-11:30 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/13/23 from 1-2 Zoom link here
Manufacturing
Brian Rydbom, Acutec Precision Aerospace
Brian is the CNC programming lead at Acutec Precision Aerospace. Brian directs the work of 12 programmers at Acutec, and is directly responsible for developing new programming and simulation processes to improve overall production at the plant.
Session 1: 1/9/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/13/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/7/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/18/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Healthcare
Jackie DeMichele, RN BSN CRNI VC-BC
Jackie is a Registered Nurse and works for Allegheny Health Network (AHN) at the Cancer Institute.
A Registered Nurse, or RN is responsible for working with other healthcare professionals to help treat patients with various injuries, illnesses or disabilities. Registered Nurses typically work for hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities or care homes to provide medical support to Doctors and their patients. They work closely with other Registered Nurses to divide care tasks, conduct health assessments, and administer medication to patients. Their job may include inserting IV's, checking patient's vital signs, giving vaccinations, and helping patients feel comfortable. They may also be responsible for assisting a patient's loved ones to learn how to perform specific tasks like changing dressings or administereng medications when a patient is able to return home and also serve as a patient and family advocate when necessary.
Session 1: 1/11/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/7/23 10:30-11:30 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/15/23 1-2 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/19/23 1-2 Zoom link here
Apply for the Healthcare/Nursing eMentoring Program!
Allied Trades
Jerry Ferilla, Local IUPAT District Council 57 (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades)
Throughout my career, I have had experience in the following professions and will help you explore the possibilities of a career in skilled trades such as:
Drywall Finisher
A drywall Finisher is largely responsible for creating smooth, aesthetically pleasing surfaces on unfinished gypsum wallboard prior to being coated by a professional painter. This is done by filling all voids, seams, screw holes, and uneven joints with a compound filler and then sanding smooth after the compound dries. Drywall finishers are sometime required to create decorative finishes as well, such as venetian plaster, knock downs, or textured finishes. Skill is required in the use of hand filling and machine tool methods for both preparation, application, and sanding techniques. Working at height on mobile equipment is required. A comprehensive understanding of safe work practices and hazard identification will help the drywall finisher choose the best tools and PPE to complete their tasks.
Commercial Painter
Commercial painters typically work for a contractor where you are responsible for painting large areas of the interior and exterior of buildings. Most job sites include schools, hotels, office buildings, and restaurants. You would be applying paint and other coatings to many surfaces such as metals, concrete, block walls, pipes, plaster, and drywall. As a commercial painter you would be asked to prepare surfaces, apply protective and/or decorative paint coatings to anything from ceilings, walls, doors and door frames, and floors. You also may be tasked with wallcovering, epoxy floor coating, and power washing. Aside from painting skills, a commercial painter needs to be able to accommodate a client's time-sensitive needs by working during non-business hours. This means that commercial painters sometimes must work overnight or on weekends.
Session 1: 1/11/23 10:30-11:30 Zoom link here
Session 2: 2/10/23 9-10 Zoom link here
Session 3: 3/24/23 1-2 Zoom link here
Session 4: 4/14/23 1-2 Zoom link here
Apply for the Allied Trades eMentoring Program!