Page 40 - MetalForming-Mar-2018-issue

Pioneer Award Winners
Success: Jason Oskin,
Additive Manufacturing
Technical Manager
Having just completed an associate’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Jason Oskin started as a machinist apprentice at Oberg Industries in 1995. Many of his first days included changing floor tile in the shop.
“I think some of that may have been just to see if I would see this through,” he laughs.
But see it through he did, and today he serves as additive manufacturing technical
manager, leading efforts to develop and master the technology to better serve Oberg customers. Throughout his apprenticeship he studied not only machining but related processes such as grinding, and underwent inhouse training to gain proficiency on topics such as blueprint reading and die components, to name just a few. With his machinist journey papers in hand, Oskin’s next stop was NC programming, as man- agement noted his proficiency on NC machines. After two years spent in program- ming, he took the opportunity to focus on engineering, particularly die design and then debugging stamping tools, which he found challenging and exciting. Oskin parleyed his experience, including 15 years in engineering, to take advantage of an opportunity in additive manufacturing (AM). Three years ago he was approached to run an AM machine at the University of Pittsburgh to help Oberg gain knowledge and expertise on the innovative technology. For the past two years, he’s been manag- ing the Pitt AM lab.
Growing up nearby, Oskin had been familiar with Oberg, and it was the first manu- facturer to which he applied. Besides providing for his rewarding career, the company has been a very family-oriented place to work, he says.
“They want you to do your job well, but also want you to have a good family life,” Oskin says. “I knew the career I wanted, and Oberg made it happen. The company always has been willing to accommodate me and my career and family needs, and I appreciate that.”
attract, retain and grow its workforce while noting that the company now hires 40 to 50 employees per year.
The first company in Pennsylvania to establish a registered, certified apprenticeship program in manufac- turing, Oberg now offers more than a dozen apprenticeship programs. Two years back Oberg started another, for CNC programming, that joins three other apprenticeship programs insti- tuted within the past five years. Where- as at one time a few veteran employees would serve as apprentice leads, Oberg has formalized and professionalized the process via a full-time training pro- grams manager, Linda Wood, and a staff of five.
Recognizing its long-time employ- ees with vast knowledge and experi- ence to share, the company has insti- tuted a phased-retirement program. Here, retirees can return in part-time roles to transfer their knowledge and skills to up-and-comers. Oberg also has upgraded its Radical Referrals pro- gram, which pays as much as $5000 on employee referrals for machinists and others with special talents.
Success: Bill Broman,
Plant Engineering Technical Manager
Like his colleague Jason Oskin, Bill Broman also started his career at Oberg in 1995, with a four-year Engineering degree in his pocket and with positive company reviews from friends. Determined to carve out a role in engineering, Broman was placed into a four-year tool and die apprenticeship. As part of a well-rounded, thorough program, this included a tour through var- ious Oberg areas including stamping, die maintenance and the toolroom. He specifically recalls his work during this period as a detailer, where more senior personnel would check his detail prints.
“Sometimes they were a bloody mess when I’d get them back,” Broman laughs, appreciative of the constructive criticism from those willing to share their knowledge and answer his ques- tions. “They taught me a lot about the process.”
Toward the end of his apprenticeship, Broman began designing tools in teams, which pro-
vided an opportunity to pull knowledge from other more-experienced team members. Following his apprenticeship and after 12 years in die design, Broman had the opportunity to work with a new medical customer, often traveling to meet with the customer’s engineering group.
“I gained a lot of experience working with customers and designing for manufacturability, and following through with our people on the shop floor,” he says.
After four years on that project, Broman took a program manager/process engineer position in Oberg’s stamping department, focused on process-improvement. During three years here, he expressed the desire to enter management. With a master’s degree in Business Administration—paid for by Oberg—he moved into his current role, helping develop and implement Oberg Process Excellence, the company’s process-improvement initiative.
Only 22 years old and newly married when he started at Oberg, Broman’s initial focus was not on the long-term. But now, after 23 years, he looks back and realizes that the company gave him the opportunity to have a career and family life, and explore various areas of manufacturing and management.
“Oberg found positions to fit my skillsets,” he says, “and I owe my success to the people who mentored me and showed me the ropes.”
38 MetalForming/March 2018
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