WCC student discovers machining and turns classes into a career
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 1, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Bailee Daniels lines up a vertical milling machine in the machining shop at Wayne Community College. Miss Daniels, one of the few females in the computer-integrated machining program, has been instrumental in recruiting other women like her to enroll.
Bailee Daniels didn't have a clue what she wanted to be when she grew up.
"When I was a little girl, actually I wanted to play the piano for a long time. I liked doing something with my hands," she said.
Even that wasn't something she actively pursued, until her freshman year at Charles B. Aycock High School. Then came senior year.
While many of her classmates were applying for colleges and making plans for the future, Bailee hung back.
Until the required high school career fair.
She recalls walking through the maze of booths and tables, when one caught her eye -- for the Wayne Community College machining program.
"When I walked up there, I thought they were mechanics," she said. "I had no idea what machining was."
"This career field is kind of one of those, the uncommon career fields," said Ted Koger, computer-integrated machining instructor. "It's real common here -- there's a ton of people doing it. But high school students don't get any exposure in it."
Despite being in the dark about the profession, the introduction turned out to be a light bulb moment for the high school senior.
"I saw Paul (Compton, department chair of industrial technologies) and I saw what they were talking about. I was understanding what they were talking about," she said. "This is a career you can make anything you would like, the things that you can make are open-ended. This is the basis of it all -- almost anything that you see."
That was two years ago, but it served to be the defining moment for her entry into the program at WCC.
People ask her about machining all the time, she says, especially when she shares pictures of something she has created in class.
"'It's basically making stuff, like making parts,'" she'll say. "'Like a mechanic?' they'll ask. 'Oh, no, we make what mechanics work on.'"
Industrial technologies is a male-dominant program, something Miss Daniels quickly discovered.
"The first day of class I think I was the only girl. I looked around and I was like, 'Whoa, what did I get myself into?'" she said. "I was scared at some points but they have actually made me grow as a person."
Koger would like to see more women enrolled.
"It's something I have worked really hard to do in recruitment, to try to give the young ladies in high school, who want to get into a decent career, they can take care of themselves," he said. "My students can come out of here making very good money in comparison with (some) other occupations. Everybody's not cut out to be a nurse or dental hygienist.
"Trying to take the stereotype away that this is a guy program has been a personal goal of mine, to bring young ladies into this program for their benefits. They are excellent students. Most of my young ladies pay a lot more attention than the guys do. They're a little bit more diligent about their studies."
Miss Daniels is a stellar example of that, Compton said.
"She's always prepared when she comes to class," he said. "She came in prepared the first day. I will never forget when we were programming a machine, they had a program that they work on. We usually spend 15 minutes talking about it and then I was going to let them write the program and go out and run it.
"Before I finished talking, I saw Bailee kind of moving around. She was all ready to run it, before anybody else had even started writing it. Most people, with the program, it looks like Greek. I dare say she got it probably the first day."
Koger, who often takes Miss Daniels on recruiting trips, called her one of the program's best representatives.
"Bailee's not afraid to get out there and do something that she's never done," he said. "A lot of people can really stand off and move to the back of the class. Bailee likes to get out here and see what's going on, get to the front of the class. That's where you learn."
Despite its reputation of being more heavily populated by males, though, does not mean only tomboys need apply.
Miss Daniels is definitely interested in feminine pursuits -- she was Miss CBA her senior year, is the reigning Miss Mount Olive Pickle Festival and will vie for the Miss Goldsboro crown in January. Her talent is playing the piano, with a twist. She favors ragtime music and enjoys converting popular songs into that style.
"Sometimes when I get dirty in the shop, I don't have time to wash it off and I try to hide it well," she said with a laugh. "It's not a contradiction at all (to be in pageants). I want people to see me as well-rounded."
She also holds down a job, at Hwy. 55 on Wayne Memorial Drive.
But come May, when she graduates with several certifications, a one-year diploma in computer-integrated machining and a two-year associate's degree in applied sciences, she has a plan. After two more years at East Carolina University, pursuing a business degree, she will work in a machine shop.
"And eventually, I want to own my own machine shop, making braces for special needs kids and injured military," she said. "My brother had to wear braces ever since I was little. He had cerebral palsy."
The experience is the basis of her pageant platform -- "I CARE," an acronym for Compassion, Acceptance, Respect for Exceptional needs children -- and ultimately, her life's work.
"I actually didn't want to go to the career fair," she says upon reflection. "Who knew I was going to find something that I loved and I wanted to do for the rest of my life?"