At 25, Dan Everhart stands out as a youngster in Pennsylvania manufacturing circles. But his interest in the industry dates all the way back to high school. He went on to study engineering at California University of Pennsylvania, and as a student searching the web for internships, one opening caught his eye. It had been placed by Catalyst Connection on behalf of Tri-State Hydraulics (TSH), a manufacturing company that distributes cylinders, pumps, motors, valves, controls, and a variety of hydraulic tools.
An internship in manufacturing isn’t like an office internship. As Dan points out, “I was definitely the only young guy here. The atmosphere was, ‘Safety is important,’ because there are a lot of heavy materials around. You have to be careful and wear the right equipment, especially when you go into steel mills and places like that. That was new to me.”
Dan explains that TSH “needed somebody to come in and systematize their distribution inventory. They wanted a database for their entire inventory, and they wanted it all reorganized. I got that done earlier than planned.” His three-month stint at TSH was a positive experience for him, and for TSH as well. At the internship’s end, his supervisor offered him a job, which he eagerly accepted.
Now, Dan says, he serves as an “industrial engineering technician. I do what we call ‘failure analysis reporting’ on hydraulic cylinders. We try to find ways to continuously improve our product.”
He says that he sees production picking up at TSH. “We’re getting more work, and I’ve noticed that the steel industry seems to be picking up as well.” Manufacturing might attract more young people, he suggests, by focusing on newer technologies, especially computer-integrated manufacturing. And he thinks Catalyst Connection is a valuable resource for small to medium-size manufacturing companies.
“Catalyst Connection helps [TSH] get what they need,” he says — including an infusion of young talent. In addition to hosting interns, TSH participates in Adventures in Technology, a Catalyst Connection program that introduces high school students to manufacturing. “The primary function [of Adventures in Technology] is to spur interest in manufacturing for young people. I think they do a great job.”