Factory Worker to Software Engineer via 3D Printing

Justin Flint, 27, transitioned from an assembly line worker to a Software Engineer II at an oven manufacturing factory near Seattle, Washington. After dropping out of college in 2019, Flint took a job on the factory floor but found the work difficult and slow. To solve an efficiency issue, he designed a 3D-printed fixture at home that allowed him to set two shutters at once. This innovation led to a promotion to engineering technician in February 2020. The company later paid for him to return to school to study C++. After obtaining an associate degree in March 2023, Flint was rehired as a software developer in June 2023. He attributes his career growth to the initiative he took to invent a solution to a workplace problem.

After dropping out of college in 2019 to heal from a traumatic situation, Justin Flint needed a full-time job. He was hired to work on the assembly line at a local factory building ovens. The conditions were harsh; Flint described being drenched in sweat and having his safety glasses fog up while inside the ovens. He recalled thinking that his career had crumbled, as he was working in a factory despite wanting to be an engineer.

Flint's job involved using gauges to set sheet-metal shutters in the ovens. He was taking longer than management wanted, and an engineer overseeing his work asked if he could find a way to do it more efficiently. Flint had an early interest in inventing and had been 3D printing since his teenage years. He decided to apply these skills to his work problem.

In May 2019, Flint wrote the dimensions of the gauges on a sticky note. At home, he designed a fixture that would allow him to set two shutters simultaneously. He 3D printed the device and brought it to the engineer. The results were immediate. About a week later, the engineer's boss approached Flint to ask about his experience with coding 3D printers.

Shortly after, Flint was invited to join engineers for a brainstorming session after work. In September 2019, a position opened for an engineering technician. Flint applied and was selected for the role, starting in February 2020. This move took him off the assembly line and into a role designing sheet-metal parts and printing inserts for oven handles.

• Designed a fixture to set two shutters at once
• 3D printed the device at home
• Invited to join engineering brainstorming sessions
• Promoted to engineering technician in February 2020

Six months into his technician role, Flint's manager asked if he would return to school if the company paid for it. Flint agreed and began a grueling schedule of working five days a week, driving 40 minutes to school for an hour-long class, and driving home. He learned C++, a programming language used for building software. Flint realized that coding was a missing component of his skillset.

Feeling burned out, Flint left the oven factory in May 2022 to focus on his studies. He earned an associate degree in engineering, computer science, and physics in March 2023. He then took a job at a printing factory as a technician. While there, he continued to study coding during downtime. In June 2023, the oven factory reached out and offered him a software developer position.

Now a Software Engineer II, Justin Flint manages software projects with the goal of becoming a chief technology officer. He believes his success stems from the initiative he took on the assembly line. Flint advises others to look for opportunities to prove themselves.

He stated, "It's easy to get stuck in a rut — trust me, I've been there — but I've learned that you can often invent your way out of a horrible situation." He suggests that studying the work done every day closely enough will reveal something to improve, and that improvement could be a "golden ticket to promotion." Flint notes that he had to step on a few toes politely to show what he was capable of.