Mike Friel Builds Careers with Machinist Training

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I visit the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center in South Charleston and talk with Mike Friel about their machinist technology program. It’s a two-year program offered with BridgeValley Community and Technical College, where students earn industry credentials and an associate degree. Mike shows me the computer-controlled machines students train on, including CNC machines, which use subtractive manufacturing to create precision parts. He explains how students learn programming, computer-aided design, and math, along with hands-on skills like blueprint reading and measuring within thousandths of an inch. The program isn’t just for recent grads—many students are adults changing careers, like a grandmother who became a machinist and opened her own shop, or a former hairdresser who now leads manufacturing at a major facility. Classes are split between BridgeValley and the Tech Park, and many students land jobs or internships before they graduate. Mike emphasizes that it’s about building real skills that lead to real work.