Even with a diploma in hand, learning never stops. That’s how two Meridian Community College alumni, Tucker Clark and Kyle Stiefel, see it.

Both graduated from MCC’ Precision Machining Technology in December 2016 and now are working full-time positions in their fields. Clark is a machinist at Industrial Electrical Motor Works in Marion and Stiefel is a machinist at Precision Spine in Pearl.

“Both are very successful, skills competition state champions, and scored the top two test scores in the state,” said Brian Warren, MCC Precision Machining Technology Program coordinator and instructor.

And, they’ve both returned to evening classes at MCC to finish the Haas CNC Operator Training Certificate, Warren said.

“There’s a lot to take in, so many things to learn,” Stielfel said as he was beginning to work on a computer numeric control (CNC) machine in MCC’s Reed Hall classroom.

The 35-year-old Meridian native came to the College’s program after working at a local business as a shop foreman. His love of machining comes from family with his grandfather and uncle who were gunsmiths but it was when he came to the MCC class he honed his machining skills.

“I checked in on this class and it was one of the best decisions I have made,” Stiefel said.

Clark, 20, and a Meridian native, also is passionate about his work even going in early to the job site to get more work done. Initially, Clark gained technical experience from his high school education.

“I was going through Ross Collins and I had a little experience in metal – specifically welding – and I wanted to do something more advanced. It was something that I was naturally good at.”

Warren noted as soon as Clark graduated from MCC three days later, he was working on the job at a local machine shop.

Both Clark and Stiefel credit the program and the instructor for their success.

“Throughout the state we have the best program. We may not be the biggest, but we have more knowledge in our field,” Clark said.

Stiefel said of his instructor Warren, “He’s done a lot for me and for everybody. He’s a good role model – even for me. You’re never too old to learn.”

For his future, Clark said at some point he, too, would like to teach machinery. “A lot of people in my family have been teachers … kind of follow in their footsteps but do it differently. Somebody’s got to pass down the knowledge.”