MassBay Alum Manufactured a Career in Engineering

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
781-239-2636
ecooper@massbay.edu

MassBay Community College alum, Kevin Riordan, Waltham, MA, September 2022 (Photo/MassBay Community College).

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (January 19, 2023) — After taking a leave of absence from the workforce to care for his parents, Kevin Riordan of Waltham, MA, turned to MassBay Community College to reinvent himself. “When my parents became ill, I took time off to care for them. Following this, I moved from the Midwest to Massachusetts. At the time, I had worked in various public safety roles with several police, fire, and EMS departments. When I was ready to head back to work, I realized that I wanted to do something new and interesting. Although I majored in electrical engineering in college, my initial career path led me, instead, to become a first responder, but my curiosity about engineering never changed. Establishing my career in the engineering field was just delayed a bit,” said Kevin.

“I knew that to enter and be successful in the job market, I would need engineering credentials and some experience. MassBay was nearby, and I had heard about their stackable certificate programs, which offer industry-recognized credentials in a shorter timeframe, and for a lower cost, than earning a degree. I was intrigued by the opportunity to formulate ideas and use computer-aided design (CAD) to create materials to improve the world. Candidates with CAD experience are in demand for medical devices, to create parts that fill a wide range of healthcare-related needs. I was focused on entering a dynamic and productive field that would provide me with a solid future career. I researched employers’ most sought-after employee skills in the engineering job market and found many were looking for people with advanced manufacturing technology backgrounds. I found this industry fascinating and the perfect field for me to apply my interest to produce modern technology. Another positive indicator was abundant number of job opportunities in that arena,” Kevin added.

“I would not hesitate to direct people to attend a community college or a trade school, especially older students, as there seems to be a substantial number of job prospects with an earned certificate or associate degree. I have had excellent experiences at community colleges, including here at MassBay. Due to my college background, I studied for only about a year and was able to change my career. Graduating during the pandemic was challenging, but I landed a job through a temp agency, and I’m now employed at Dentsply Sirona, manufacturing dental implants. In the year that I have been at Dentsply Sirona, I already have been promoted. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this job without attending MassBay.”

“Kevin is one of our success stories for the advanced manufacturing certificate program,” said MassBay associate professor and chair of the engineering department, Marina Bograd. “Kevin came to MassBay looking for a career change in an area with great job growth potential and where he could be creative and innovative. He was able to begin a brand new, sustainable career in less than a year.”

While at MassBay, Kevin was a peer tutor, earned a spot on the dean’s list every semester, and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society. He graduated from MassBay in 2020 with a certificate in advanced manufacturing.

Kevin added, “If you’re considering returning to college, do it. You are never too old to go back to school and I’m living proof of that!”

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.