Jamaica native Oswald Love never expected to end up living in Buffalo, let alone working as a machinist for a global, industry-leading heat transfer company. However, his time at Northland Workforce Training Center opened doors allowing him to do just that – and just a few years after making Buffalo his home.
“It all started at Northland,” he says. “Northland created this rich education that allowed me to meet API Heat Transfer, and API had the confidence to hire me based on what I knew because of Northland.”
A new path
In 2020, Love had just left a 20-year career as a security driver for the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica, where he was born and raised. The job, in which he was assigned to the highest-ranking UN officer on the island, involved grueling hours, responsibility for his charge’s safety and lots of stress.
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So when Love moved to Buffalo, he was ready for a change. He found it at NWTC, a workforce development and trade school that serves as an extension campus for SUNY Erie (ECC) and Alfred State. Located in East Buffalo, the center provides training for jobs in the advanced manufacturing and energy industries.
Love enrolled in the CNC Manufacturing and Machining program in the Fall 2021 semester. Initially intimidated by his fresh-out-of-high school classmates, he eventually made friends, crediting them along with his teachers for providing the support he needed to find his footing in an academic setting.
“I fell in love with the school and the program,” he says. “You start to let those guards down of being too intimidated and getting too much in your head.”
On-the-job training
Another NWTC feature helped Love to excel not only in his classes, but as a future professional: Northland Manufacturing. A fully functioning machine shop within NWTC, Northland Manufacturing hires students to complete machining orders.
Director of Manufacturing Operations Jon Sieminski says the setup benefits all parties – the center, manufacturers and students. Students get paid and receive real-world experience. Local manufacturers get quality products at a fair price while helping to build the talent pipeline they so desperately need to fill the thousands of skilled trade openings that exist locally. And revenue from the shop benefits NWTC’s sustainability.
Sieminski saw Love’s potential, hired him, mentored him and helped build his confidence. When API Heat Transfer came looking to hire before Love graduated in May this year, they found a soon-to-be professional with not only the necessary education, but also on-the-job experience and understanding of crucial soft skills like work ethic, punctuality and the ability to follow procedures.
API liked what they saw and offered Love a machinist position that he says prioritizes skills like attention to detail and persistence. He started in June with a great starting salary and has been impressed by the company culture – as well as how many spots still need to be filled.
“I’ve seen the inside running of a real company, and the need for skilled workers – it's real,” he says. “You can see the need for the manpower.”