Justin Seippel
Class of 2004, Computer Aided Drafting
Current Job Title: Drafting Room Manager
Current Employer: Sippel Steel Fabricators
How did PTC best prepare you for your career at Sippel Steel?
I attended the drafting program in Vo-Tech for four years in high school and knew that I wanted to pursue a career in drafting and design. PTC was the perfect fit for my education interests. The professors and learning environment at PTC helped to refine my technical skills and expand upon my interest in the structural design field. After I graduated, I felt confident that I had gained the knowledge and experience needed to succeed in the real-world work force. PTC helped me develop the critical thinking skills that are so important in my career today. When I first started working at Sippel Steel, I was detailing simple drawings and now I oversee the creation and development of large, complex projects. I’m currently supervising ten employees and it’s because of my education that I have successfully streamlined the department’s work flow and organizational processes to create a better quality product.
Fondest PTC memory as a student?
Some of my fondest memories as a student at PTC are the creative and hands-on projects I was able to be a part of. The most memorable one is the trebuchet project. Student teams designed catapult structures and competed against each other to see how far they could launch a cantaloupe. The creativity that this project inspired makes it stand out as one of my favorite experiences. My professors wanted to make sure that students were not only engaged in learning but that they had fun doing it.
You attended our Inaugural golf outing in June and were so supportive of our efforts to raise scholarship funds. Why do you feel it is important for alumni to give back?
It is so important for alumni to give back. As a PTC graduate, and being invested in the drafting and manufacturing industry, I know the importance of recruiting and retaining competent and well-educated professionals in this field. As a manager at Sippel Steel Company, I have hired 90% of my employees from PTC. The fact that I know what kind of education and preparation these students are receiving gives me confidence in my decision to hire them.