Jose Aboytes

I began my career at Lincoln Electric as a Helper B; in other terms, an assistant to an Operator. My duties as Helper B would be to inspect, label, and containerize finished products. I would also assist the operator with any tasks needed to operate the machine in a safe, efficient manner. I was later trained to be the weld watch backup. As a weld-watch backup, I would load 4,000-pound steel bundles to their assigned line using a tow motor. As my career advanced, I was promoted to Redraw Operator; this role is similar to an Operator, but with fewer moving parts (less complex). Typically, this role is used as a way to train for the role of Operator. This role at Lincoln Electric led me to become an Operator. Operating a heavy duty machine involves much work. My daily duties as an operator were to inspect the line for any safety hazards, repair and replace any parts that do not work as intended, and mainly to produce high-quality products with the correct specifications.

With the experience I gained at Avery Dennison in Mentor, it was very easy for me to transition into Finishing Line Packer, and then Material Handler. My daily tasks as a Finishing Line Packer included labeling finished products, properly containerizing them, banding them onto a pallet, wrapping them, and then transporting them to the shipping department using a stand-up forklift. As a Material Handler, I would locate specific bulk rolls within the warehouse using a tow motor, and then transport them to slitter machines. This had to be done with extreme care and caution, as safety is my and Avery Dennison's number one priority. Other tasks as a Material Handler included emptying compactors, cutting cores, and making sure operators had all their materials for a particular job.

While working at Avery Dennison in Mentor as a temp, I gained a great deal of knowledge about how Avery Dennison operates to keep its employees safe and deliver high-quality products. I'm familiar with the importance of wearing the correct PPE throughout the building. I've learned how to operate various machines in the finishing, converting, and coating departments. I've worked in all three departments and have had an ample amount of hands-on training and experience. My duties at Avery Dennison included:

• Containerizing and stacking finished products onto pallets for storage or distribution.
• Ensuring that all materials were properly handled and stored according to safety regulations.
• Collaborated with team members on assembly line tasks, such as sealing packages, affixing labels, and stacking boxes.

As an assembler, I would first inspect wax molds for defects. These wax molds ranged in size and complexity; therefore, they needed to be handled with care. If any defects were found, I'd make any necessary repairs, and then prepare the wax mold for metal casting. Identifying problems that may affect product quality, and taking corrective action when required, was the main focus of this particular job.