For Nicholas Del Conte, a Mechatronics student at BCTC and rising senior from Schuylkill Valley High School, a co-op at Reading Bakery Systems has provided an exciting opportunity to apply his classroom knowledge in a real-world manufacturing environment. Working alongside experienced professionals, he is gaining firsthand experience with the advanced technology used to build large-scale bakery production equipment. 

Nicholas has been involved in both electrical assembly and machine production, helping assemble equipment, wire electrical systems, mount control boxes, run conduits, and install wiring through cable trays that power and control the massive industrial machines. The variety of assignments has kept every day interesting. "Every day is a little different," Nicholas said. "I've been bouncing around between different parts of the assembly process, learning something new from the team every day." 

The sheer size and complexity of the bakery equipment has been one of the most impressive parts of the experience. Each machine is made up of countless electrical components that must be carefully assembled and wired before becoming part of a complete production system. 

While the work has challenged him to maneuver into tight spaces to route wiring or install hardware, Nicholas says the job has been a smooth transition thanks to the strong foundation he built at BCTC.  "Tech helped me get all the basics down," he explained. "Now I'm learning from my co-workers at Reading Bakery every day." 

He's also discovered that no two projects are exactly alike. Although the assembly process follows similar principles, every machine presents its own unique challenges, making each workday different from the last. 

As Nicholas enters his senior year, he plans to continue his co-op during the first semester while balancing another passion—baseball. After graduation, he hopes to attend college, with Penn State among the schools he's considering, while continuing to pursue opportunities in the electrical and automation field. 

For middle school students considering a career and technical education, Nicholas offers thoughtful advice: "Choose something you're interested in and can see yourself doing, but don't turn your favorite hobby into your job. Pick something you enjoy, and you'll have fun learning alongside people who share the same interests." 

Through his co-op at Reading Bakery Systems, Nicholas is gaining real-world experience, expanding his technical skills, and building the confidence needed for a successful future in the rapidly growing field of mechatronics.