Ray Clark worked in IT in the manufacturing sector for 15 years and always wondered how and why the engineers on the lines did what they did when they made decisions affecting production.
“I am analytical and I like to know how things work,” Clark said. “I have always been that way.”
Soon Clark will be in the field making the same kind of decisions. He is a student in the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology program at Ohio State Lima. He plans to work locally after graduation.
“Having the program in Lima is not only good for me, but for the region. We have so much manufacturing in the region, so the job market is wide open,” Clark said.
As one of the first BSET students, Clark knows he will be forging a path for the students that follow him both into the program and out into the local manufacturing workforce.
“As we graduate from this program and show that it works it will help future students when it is time for them to look for work due to the reputation we have built,” Clark said.
Clark is reveling in the challenges of the program, even the math. He is taking advantage of the academic support on campus and working with his professors as he moves toward his goals.
“As a non-traditional student, I have a few challenges, mainly in the math area,” Clark said. “Working with Jim Rieman, who sacrifices his personal time to help, I will overcome these challenges.”
Clark isn’t just the recipient of support and encouragement. He is passing along what he knows about the manufacturing sector and the practical application of engineering to the younger students in his classes.
“Because that’s what you do. You help each other out,” Clark said.