Name: Alex Marques
City/State of Residence: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Job Title: Associate Product Manager
Company: Bishop-Wisecarver
Years with Company: 1.5
Industry of Your Company: Motion Solutions
Training / Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, M.Eng Mechanical Engineering (Product Design and Business)
What made you decide to pursue a career in manufacturing?
I’ve always been very hands-on and curious about how things work, especially with mechanical components. Going into manufacturing has allowed me to see everything from design through production, a complete experience that I never had before.
What does your job entail?
I act as a translator of sorts between the engineering department, marketing department, and our customers, to make sure that our products meet the needs of the market and that we get out the word about the benefits of our solutions. For me, this involves managing product databases, assisting with marketing materials and web content, streamlining internal processes and helping come up with innovative solutions … among many other things.
What is the most interesting part of your job? Your proudest moment?
I appreciate the variety in my work -- one day I can be outlining technical features for a product, the next I can be editing a video or building out tools for our website. I get to use a wide skillset, and I’m constantly learning more. One of my proudest moments in this role was coming up with a new means of pulling data on which of our products is most popular in various industries.
What do you love about manufacturing?
The results are tangible, the products are critical, and there is always something to improve!
What advice would you give to kids considering a job in manufacturing?
Whether going the college route or not, be prepared (and excited) to learn new things every day. And don’t be afraid to reach out to local manufacturing companies to shadow various roles! You’d be surprised how many people in this industry would be excited to showcase the work they are proud of.
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