HAMLET — Many students who begin their studies at Richmond Community College do not have a clear picture of their future, but because the College offers a wide array of courses and programs, it doesn’t take long for someone to figure out his or her career path.
Zayd Amin, a 20-year-old RichmondCC student from Anson County, was once in this same boat. He originally enrolled in social work courses at RichmondCC, but after a semester, he realized he needed a change.
Amin recalled his experience of being a member of his high school’s robotics team and learning about computerized numeric control equipment.
“I got a lot of firsthand experience seeing people design parts and do CNC stuff,” he said. “I figured it was a meeting point of interests, things I’m capable of and something I could make a career out of because I wouldn’t get tired of it.”
He then took a tour of the machine shop at the Hamlet Campus of RichmondCC and gained exclusive insight from instructors Clayton Dial and Mitchell Lowery about what machinists do and their job prospects. That’s when he decided to switch his major.
Amin is now enrolled in the Computer-Integrated Machining program and is on his way to carving out his aspiration to be a machinist.
The median salary for a machinist is $42,109, according to Career Coach, an online tool on the College website that provides the most current local data on wages, employment, job postings, and associated education and training. There are 318 job openings for machinists within a 50-mile radius of RichmondCC.
“Machinists are needed everywhere you go. They can be found in high-tech manufacturing, rapid-manufacturing industries, specialty machine shops, fabrication industries, and emerging industries such as aerospace, aviation, medical, and renewable energy,” Dial said.
Amin is also taking advantage of the Campus Jobs program for students who are interested in working part-time for RichmondCC while enrolled in classes. He makes deliveries around campus for the Purchasing and Receiving Department.
“I had a few other job offers at the time, but this was on campus and convenient for me,” he said. “The hours are a lot more flexible, so I could literally work, clock out, go to class, come back and keep working, basically spending the whole day on campus.”
Amin’s mother, Heidi, is also a student at RichmondCC, so the two often ride to school together. Both he and his mother, who is in the Medical Assisting program, have found RichmondCC to be a very convenient place to get their education.
“I think the big summary of everything can be: I go here. My family goes here. It’s convenient for us; it’s affordable; it’s a good quality education for the value. Richmond Community College has a pretty large return on investment,” Amin said.
To learn more about the Computer Integrated Machining program or other programs at Richmond Community College, call Student Services at 910-410-1700 and ask to speak to a counselor. More classes have been added to the spring schedule. Visit the College online at www.richmondcc.edu.
