While growing up, Chris Sarikas developed an interest in car racing and dreamt of designing and building high performance race cars. He wanted to be part of a winning Formula 1 team at the Indy 500 race.
 
Chris's parents owned several restaurants, where he worked during his summers, and they expected him to join the family business upon completing high school.
 
Chris had other plans, so he visited Symbol Job Training by himself for a personal tour and was impressed by what he saw: Hands on training by writing complex computer programs and machining precision parts in an exciting field. He decided then and there that he wanted to pursue a career as a CNC machinist. He first had to convince his parents that a future in building race cars was a better choice than following in their footsteps.
 
Chris stopped by Symbol again, this time with his mother so she could see first-hand, how Symbol successfully trained individuals to be CNC machinists. She realized that Chris did not want to jump right into the family restaurant business, however she was still skeptical that a machinist was the path she wanted for her youngest son. After the tour, that skepticism was soon replaced with joy and belief.  She saw the excitement in Chris's face and realized that CNC Machinists are paid very well and that it is a viable career path.  His mom paid Chris's tuition on the spot.
 
During his time at Symbol, Chris was an excellent and fully engaged student.  Chris was punctual and had perfect attendance. He successfully completed CNC 303: CNC Technology with Internship on February 10, 2011. With Symbol’s assistance, I am pleased to report Chris was hired as a CNC Operator by a shop in Elk Grove Village within two weeks of graduating. After his first week of work, Chris stopped by Symbol to say thanks and to let us know his new employer had a contract to manufacture precision parts for a race car builder. Chris’s race to Indy had just begun.

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Franchot Russell spent the first 7 years of his career performing building maintenance in office buildings. He then worked several years as a machine operator for a steel company where he operated steel cutting band saws, punch presses and drill presses. For the next 8 years he settled in as an HVAC Technician installing heating and air conditioning systems. In 2009 he was laid off and could not find comparable work.
 
Franchot enrolled in Able's Trade Adjustment Assistance program. With the guidance of Lorraine Ross, he searched training and career options and decided on a career as a CNC Machinist.
 
He successfully completed Symbol's CNC 303: CNC Technology With Internship course last week. Symbol assisted Franchot with his job search by presenting his resume to our HR contact at a CNC shop a few blocks from his home. I am pleased to report that Franchot was hired last week  as a CNC Operator/Setup Machinist.
 
Franchot called me after his second day on the job. He said the work was hard but nothing felt better than getting back to work after so much time off. He said the supervisor explained that some of their machines were very old, however, the computer programs were written using the same computer codes Franchot learned during his CNC training at Symbol.
 
Franchot was TAA funded through Lorraine Ross at National Able, Pilsen.

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Russell Olmos spent the first 14 years of his career as a manual machinist. He developed experience on Mills, Lathes and Grinders, machining complex parts per print. He worked for the same company for 12 years, receiving performance based raises and multiple service awards, however he was laid off in 2009 and could not find comparable employment.
 
Russell successfully completed Symbol's CNC 303: CNC Technology with Internship Course in November 2010. Symbol assisted Russell with his job search and I am pleased to report he was hired by a company near his home at a starting salary of $20.30 an hour. His last day of training and his first day of work occurred in the same week.
 
Russell explained to us that his new position is for both a manual machinist and a CNC machinist and without his Symbol CNC training he would not have been interviewed for this position.
 
Russell was WIA funded through Maria Fermin at National Able, Pilsen.

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Nicholas Villarreal spent the first 3 years of his career working at a car wash. He then worked 3 years as a machine operator for a steel company where he performed grinding and polishing operations on hot rolled steel bars. He was laid off in 2009 and could not find comparable employment.
 
Nicholas successfully completed Symbol's CNC 203: CNC Programming, Setup and Operation Course in October  2010. Upon completion of the course, Symbol sent his resume to several CNC shops that regularly hire Symbol Certified graduates. I am pleased to report that he was hired 14 days after he was Symbol Certified and is currently working as a CNC Operator.
 
Nicholas was WIA funded through Sainey Jobe at E & ES, Cicero/Berwyn Workforce Center.

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Jason Rodriguez started working as a door greeter for a large retailer, he then spent the next year packing orders for an auto parts distributor and then worked as a mechanical assembler.  Due to the downturn in the economy he was laid off in 2009 and could not find comparable work.  He was forced to take a part time job as a bartender to help make ends meet.
Jason then found out about the opportunities that a Symbol Job Training, Inc. education provides in the manufacturing field.  As such, Jason successfully completed Symbol’s CNC 303: CNC Technology with Internship in November 2010.  He had a perfect attendance and earned straight “A’s.”  Two weeks before completing the course, Symbol provided his resume to the President of a CNC shop located only 10 minutes from Jason’s home.   We are proud and happy to report during the interview, Jason was hired to start working immediately as a CNC operator. 

Jason explained that because of his CNC 303: Technology with Internship training, he was able to impress his supervisor by performing his own offsets without assistance, which allowed him to make a great first impression on the first day of the job.  Jason loads a part into the machine and then measures the part making sure it matches the drawings and repeats the process.  The best part about the job is that Jason looks forward to waking up every morning and coming into work.   

Jason was WIA funded through Maria Gonzalez, of Instituto del Progreso Latino in Chicago.

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Victor Perez spent the first 17 years of his career as a shipping clerk for an importer in Elk Grove Village, then, he spent 2 years as a shipping/receiving supervisor for a small distributor in Chicago. He was laid off in 2009 and was unable to find comparable work.
 
Victor successfully completed CNC 303: CNC Technology with Internship in August 2010. Symbol sent his resume to the hiring agent for a CNC shop in Elk Grove Village and I am pleased to report Victor was hired and started work last week. He is a CNC operator with a starting salary of $13.00 hour. The shop is fully air conditioned and he receives a complete benefits package including Blue Cross and Blue Shield after 30 days.
 
Victor explained to me that on his first day at work  the shop supervisor demonstrated to him how the CNC machining cell operated. After a brief explanation of his job duties and then watching Victor perform the first CNC cycle run, the supervisor left him alone to do his work. Victor said that he places a piece of metal into a CNC Okuma Lathe, when it's finished cutting, he takes it out and places that piece into a CNC Haas Mill. After that cutting cycle is complete, he removes the piece again and places it into a Mori-Seiki Multi-Axis Mill / Turn Center for the final operation. When completed he measures for accuracy and then starts with a new piece of metal.
 
As the day progressed Victor's supervisor returned and inspected some of his completed pieces. He said the work looked great and asked Victor where he learned his CNC skills. When Victor said " I am Symbol Certified" the supervisor looked up and smiled. He said, "you know Victor, I too am Symbol Certified and I started my CNC career in this very same machining cell".
 
Victor was WIA funded through Maria Gonzalez of Instituto del Progreso Latino, Chicago.

 
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