Xavier Smith is an advanced manufacturing instructor and curriculum developer for SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Workforce Development. His expertise is in teaching computer-aided design, machining, and mechanical engineering.
Smith is a graduate of Alfred State College with an associate’s degree in Machine Tool Technology. He got his start in manufacturing while taking welding classes at BOCES in high school.
Before coming to JCC in 2021, Smith was a manufacturing professional, serving as a lead machinist and production floor manager for OSM Corp in Olean.
What is your background in manufacturing?
Smith: I went to BOCES in high school for machining. I then went on to college for machining. I worked at a shop for eight years as the head machinist and foreman.
And then after that, I started here at the school about four years ago and have been teaching the machining classes ever since.
What do you like about the machining industry?
Smith: I really like to make things with my hands. I appreciate the satisfaction of all the hard work. And then at the end, you have a part that matches with the idea that you had in your head.
Specifically, CNC machining has done a lot with 3D models. And having that 3D model on the computer and having your final product exactly match that model that was on the computer, it's really interesting to me to see that model, that picture, that 2D image come alive as a 3D thing that you get to hold in your hand.
And so just the satisfaction with every part that you make is really what kept me in it. And just the fact that I like to work with my hands is what got me into it in the first place.
a product through CNC machining.
What’s been a favorite project of yours?
Smith: At the shop I used to work at, we did a lot of stuff for the military. We also did a lot of stuff for R&D for different companies.
We made some very thin aluminum pieces that had all kinds of tight tolerances and cool features that were part of an R&D project for launching satellites into space. And that was a pretty cool part to work on and think that your stuff's going to end up up in orbit.
What’s one of your favorite classes to teach at JCC?
Smith: MCT 1280, which is the CNC machining class, that's probably my favorite one because I feel it really prepares the students for where the jobs are in machining.
And I come from industry as a machinist, so that's sort of where my bread and butter and my passion lies.
What drew you to teaching at JCC?
Smith: I teach at JCC because it's local. I grew up in Olean, New York. That's where I'm from. The industry I grew up with.
It's nice to teach at a school that's local to where I grew up and be able to support the industry that helped me in my career get to the point that I'm at. All the friends and connections and stuff I've made, it's nice to be able to train students to fill the positions to help their companies continue to grow.
Why should someone consider JCC if they’re interested in a manufacturing career?
Smith: The Workforce program as well as the certificates and even the associate's degrees, they're very well focused on the content area that you're trying to learn. If you're trying to learn machining, there's a lot of hands-on courses.
The instructors at JCC work at a lot of great local companies, so you're making a lot of connections while you're here. They're just going to help you with placing jobs in the future.
We’ve got a good alumni network of students out there working at local facilities, paving the way for the next students to be able to get job placements. So short, concise, and you got a good outcome coming out of the other side of it.
What are some next steps if you want to get started at JCC?
Smith: The next steps would be to get ahold of us, the Admissions office, or the people directly in the applied tech programs, the faculty and staff that are in those programs. For sure, we like to try and get the students in connection with local businesses so that if they're interested in machining, but aren't quite sure what it is, to try and educate them a little bit more about what it is before they make that final decision on whether or not it's right for them.
I encourage any student to look at machining, because like I said, for me, it's just a very satisfying job. It's been a great career, and you'll notice that the people in the trades are some of the happiest people when they go to work. It's good to get into that culture of working with people who are happy to show up to work every day and make some cool stuff and make the world go around.
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JCC offers a Machining/CNC Operator program that helps students land entry-level jobs in the field as part of its Workforce Development offerings.
Request more information about those and other JCC learning opportunities.