Brian Cumby - Alumni Feature by Kyle Fowler

Valley Campus

When the class of 1993 graduated from Salida High School, they all went their separate ways. Some went to start their careers while others left to attend college. One of those graduates who went on to college was Brian Cumby. Once his high school career ended, he decided to further his education and become one of many on the long list of successful Salida High alumni.

When Cumby, currently a precision professor and department head at TSJC (Trinidad State Junior College), finished high school he went on to pursue a degree in Engineering Management at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. At TSJC, Cumby teaches a full 36 credit machining program class as well as a General Machine Shop Practices that leads to a manual Engine Lathe and Milling Machine class that then leads into a CNC ( computer numeric control, which refers to machinery that is run by computers) Lathe and Mill class. He also teaches a digital photography class. The alumnus chose this career path after taking a course on CAD (computer aided drafting) during college, and got hooked.

After getting attached to this technology, Cumby knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to work with computerized machines to create and design. “I bought a cheap CNC and opened a sign shop in Salida, but really wanted to expand my knowledge of machines and when I saw a job open for a CNC precision machinist, I knew that was the avenue that would lead me there.”

Just like many alumni, Cumby has some great high school experiences. He participated in track in ‘90, ’91, and ’92, football in ‘90 and ‘91, and also was in FBLA. Some specific memories that came to mind when the alumnus answered this question was his experience at State FBLA in Vail, and being the Salida High School Track MVP three years in a row.

The list of successful alumni that started from our small town keeps increasing as time goes on and Cumby is just one of this large group. “Being a success takes a lot of work, so the best advice I can give is to get started early and get ahead of the curve. Going to college is really fundamental in positioning yourself to be a success and it will always pay off. And, if you do go to college, take it seriously and work hard, because that will give you the work ethic you need to be a success!”

Cumby adds some exciting news of his own!!

There is an exciting new frontier in Machining happening right now due to innovations in technology. Computers have revolutionized the machining process and this technology is very exciting and will continue to grow. HAAS Automation (America’s best manufacturer of CNC automated machinery) reports 4th quarter revenues up 118% over 1st quarter last year; and the company has more than doubled its production in 2010 to meet growing demand for its products. It also reports this trend to continue through 2011 and on. This is a key insight that manufacturing is alive and well in America and there will be a demand for skilled precision machinists capable of operating this revolutionary equipment!

We, at TSJC, are responding to this by keeping up with the latest technologies in software development and machinery technology. We are proud to announce that TSJC now offers CAD/CAM-CNC courses using Solidworks parametric solid modeling software as well as KeyCreator design software, in conjunction with our HAAS Automation CNC machines. This gives our students well-rounded fundamentals using multiple software packages and machine technology.

Our unique partnership with Solidworks gives students the opportunity to become nationally certified at no cost to the students. Solidworks is used in industry to create designs and tooling for automobiles, aircraft, medical implant supplies, and so on... There are currently 1 million users worldwide and workers with Solidworks experience and certifications are 10 times more in demand than workers with other cad related experience. This is the same course that is offered at MIT, Berkley, Stanford, Princeton, and the Air Force Academy, but at a much lower cost. We use tutorials that are highly interactive. It feels like playing a video game and assembling a puzzle. Solidworks is more than just design software. It also simulates stresses and strains that parts will encounter in real world applications. This dynamic software provides full motion and animation of assemblies for prototyping purposes. It is a very comprehensive program and is helping to move the industry forward.

There is a great demand and need for manufacturing in the United States which is more apparent now than ever with our current global concerns. TSJC intends to provide that industry with workers equipped with the skills to get the job done.