Do you remember the tag line,  “Join the Army and see the world”? Well, from time-to-time, that can apply to metalcasting education as well.

Case in point: Edgar Navarro. He enrolled at FEF-certified Instituto Tecnologico de Saltillo (Mexico). He graduated with a major in materials engineering and a minor in foundry processes. Not only was he able to take advantage of “many benefits [as a member of FEF] like the acquisition of new knowledge and receiving a scholarship,” he also attended the College Industry Conference (CIC) in Chicago in 2018.

Navarro became part of the management training program of MAT Foundry Group, which provides students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience in order to be more prepared for a management position. 

One of the advantages of this program is being able to work in some of the company’s other locations. Navarro was able to work at Eurac Ltd in Poole, UK, from August 2019 until March 2020. Proving the world can be a very small place, one of his mentors, Martin Rust, technical manager at Eurac Poole, turned out to be an FEF alum. Rust attended Missouri University of Science & Technology, graduating with a BS in metallurgical engineering and a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering.

Next on Navarro’s schedule was supposed to be a year in Germany to work at another MAT location. However, due to pandemic restrictions, he was not able to take advantage of that opportunity.

“Since I connected with FEF through my enrollment at Tec Saltillo, my mind has been opened to a wide panorama of the metalcasting world,” he said. “I appreciate the opportunities I’ve had to expand my experiences and knowledge-base, increase my skills and generate new relationships in this field.”

Currently, Navarro has a full-time position as a quality metallurgical engineer at MincerHD in Ecatepec, Mexico State. His responsibilities are focused on ensuring the quality of its products and processes.
From Mexico to Chicago to the UK, metalcasting is the common thread for Navarro to see the world.     
College Connection is a recurring feature that runs in Modern Casting highlighting the metalcasting programs and students at FEF schools.