Employee Profile: Sidra Popma

Sidra’s career journey didn’t start in machining but in customer service. After completing her associate’s degree in general studies at Clackamas Community College (CCC), she took a job as a customer service representative. After six years, Sidra was burnt out and ready to try something new.

Once again, she turned to Clackamas Community College for new ideas and career training. The new idea was Machine Tool Technology, a two-year machinist training program. “I thought that the opportunity to create something out of metal would be really cool. As soon as I ran my first machine I was hooked. I knew I had found my passion! I looked forward to going to school every day. I only wish I had done it sooner!”

Sidra’s program required cooperative work experience as part of her studies, and she chose to fulfill those hours at Enoch Precision Machining. Upon graduation, she returned to work at Enoch, participating in their FastTrack Training program for new machinists.

“My classes at CCC gave me a broad machining background, but the FastTrack Training classes have helped me to quickly learn more about the equipment that I’m directly using. Although I had already taken classes in print reading, GD&T and dimensional inspection, I can now learn the details that immediately apply to my job.”

The FastTrack Training program has helped Sidra to quickly advance, and after six months, she is setting up and running CNC lathes and CNC tuning, contributing to the daily output at Enoch Precision Machining.