CMA at Pierce County Skills Center

As part of our continued partnership with Pierce County Skills Center (PCSC) in Puyallup, Washington, Toray CMA Manufacture Engineering associates visited the facility on February 25 and 26, 2019 to interact with over 40 Aerospace Composites students. PCSC opened on September 8, 2010 and is located just a couple of miles north of CMA. The center provides rigorous technical and professional experiences to juniors and seniors from 10 school districts: Bethel, Eatonville, Fife, Franklin Pierce, Orting, Steilacoom, Sumner, Tacoma, University Place, and White River. Their mission is to prepare students for high-demand, high-wage jobs and post-secondary education.

PCSC’s Aerospace Composites program, one of 15 they offer, has two semesters per year, two sessions per program each day, and 15-25 students in each session. The program is designed to prepare students to fabricate, assemble, and repair composite materials. Furthermore, students design, build, and repair composite parts and assemblies using the same techniques as local aerospace industry partners. For this reason, the CMA Production team meticulously planned and conducted classes that included a brief process overview of the prepreg department; 3Cs – Composites and different types of carbon fiber prepreg, Customers and meeting their needs, and our Culture focusing on “ANZEN KOH-DOH”; and how to identify, improve, and remove defects within our process. In between teaching sessions, CMA associates had lunch at the Glacier Grill, where Culinary Arts students make a great selection of savory entrees.

Each class took approximately two and a half hours with Q&A periods speckled throughout. Many of the questions asked were perceptive and career-related. In the end, students were inspired and eager to learn more.

This was not CMA’s first trip to PCSC. Manufacture Engineering associates have been working with them since they opened in 2010. Visiting twice a year gives our employees opportunities to engage the community and meet future CMA applicants. PCSC graduates are working at Toray for the Resin, Filming, Prepreg, and Finishing areas. CMA is excited and looks forward to visiting the center again in the Fall.