Project Engineer, Star SU
Grady Knight, 23
Project Engineer, Star SU
Years at Star SU: Less than 1
Nominator: Grainger
Education: AAS Industrial Manufacturing Technology, Elgin Community College; BS Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois University
About Grady: “After receiving a Grainger Tools for Tomorrow scholarship, my technical education began at Elgin Community College, where I studied to become a tool and die maker. If it were not for Grainger’s scholarship I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to explore the opportunities that lie within the industrial trades. Manufacturing systems ended up fascinating me, so I decided that I would continue my education before beginning a career in the machine tool industry, which brought me to Northern Illinois University. Since graduating, I have pursued industrial, mechanical, and project management disciplines in engineering to prepare for my career. At Star SU, I’m currently a project engineer responsible for designing gear manufacturing cells for automotive transmissions, as well as managing the projects from inception to installation.”
Why a career in manufacturing? “I enjoy the challenge of competing in a global marketplace, and I know the technological and human capital in American manufacturing will lead us to a stronger economy. Investing in American manufacturing by creating jobs in plants that otherwise would have been shuttered is both challenging and rewarding for me.”
