Owen Shane, a Precision and Computerized Machining Technology (PCMT) student at Berks Career & Technology Center (BCTC) and a Tulpehocken Area High School senior, is already gaining real-world experience in advanced manufacturing through his co-op placement at Reading Bakery Systems (RBS). Owen is also a BCTC Student Ambassador and the Treasurer of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), demonstrating his leadership and commitment to career and technical education.
“I have a knack for reading blueprints and putting metal to metal and running the machines,” Owen shared. His passion for machining was further refined after transferring to BCTC from the North Montco Technical Career Center’s Machining Manufacturing and Engineering program. “It was interesting when I transferred to BCTC. The work is more intense, and the textbooks that we were using at North Montco are written by the instructors at BCTC that are teaching me now,” he said, highlighting the depth and rigor of the PCMT program.
At BCTC, Owen is also part of the prestigious NASA HUNCH project, where students manufacture components destined for use on the International Space Station (ISS). “It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work on parts for NASA,” Owen explained. “It shows my skills in a real work environment, but there is more mental stress knowing that the parts must be 100% accurate for the astronauts at the ISS.” The project reinforces the precision, accountability, and high standards required in modern machining careers.
Owen balances a demanding schedule, attending BCTC in the morning, Tulpehocken Area High School in the afternoon, and then working as a Machine Operator at Reading Bakery Systems Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. At RBS, he machines baking equipment used by restaurants and bakeries around the world. “Some of our biggest customers are Domino’s and Dunkin’,” he said. “We create the equipment and tooling. Everything from the stock coming in, to the parts coming out is created here. Including the welding, electrical, assembly, and machining of parts, which I do at RBS.”
Working largely independently, Owen operates a variety of equipment. “I am on a machine by myself running anything from the lathes to the CNC mills, working on whatever part needs completed,” he explained. He credits much of his growth to the mentors he has at Reading Bakery Systems, including a BCTC alumnus who understands firsthand the value of career and technical education.
Looking ahead, Owen plans to continue his education after high school, pursuing either an advanced machining degree or an automotive technology degree. He has already been accepted into eight colleges and two technical programs and is currently weighing his options. Adding to his success, Owen recently received an offer letter from Reading Bakery Systems to continue working after graduation, with flexible scheduling around his college classes and assistance toward his tuition.
Owen also offers encouragement to younger students considering the trade. “I predict machining as a trade that will still be thriving in the next 5–10 years,” he said. “When I started PCMT, I didn’t know anything about the trade, but now I have my own lathe and mill in my home shop and make things like electrical conduits and hubcaps for my truck.”
Through dedication, hands-on learning, and industry partnerships, Owen exemplifies how BCTC’s PCMT program prepares students for high-skill, high-demand careers—both on Earth and beyond.