Throughout my high school education: teachers, counselors and speakers have all tried to stress the importance of having a career path arranged for after graduation. Most jobs today require having a skilled trade, and even in those where on the job training is adequate, opportunities are becoming rare. I initially choose to study in the field of Auto Body Repair however after succeeding in the completion of my four semester courses one year early, I had time to explore other possible fields of interest. For this reason, I decided to use this research project to expand what little knowledge I had in the field of machine tool operation. This field would also be included under the occupational name of industry machine mechanic, machine maintenance mechanics, or industrial machinery repairers (Ferguson). I chose to job shadow with my stepfather, Anthony Rinker, at Guide Corporation, where he and my mother, Debbie, set and repair plastic die machines. As defined on the company's website, Guide Corporation is North America's leading supplier of exterior lighting systems, including both forward and signal lighting ("Guide").
             Machine tool operators are the workers behind the production of these (and many other) metal and plastic goods. You will find these commodities everywhere, from the keys on your keyboard to the cans of cola from which you drink. There are two main areas in this field, setup workers and operators. Their definitions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics are as follows, Setup workers prepare the machines prior to production and may adjust the machinery during its operation, while Operators primarily monitor the machinery during its operation, sometimes loading or unloading the machine or making minor adjustments to the controls ("Bureau").
             The equipment used in metal manufacturing is more like a giant stamp, punching out preformed pieces of metal, while t
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