MEET THE PRO: Sidney Ball, Industrial Maintenance

By Arkansas NEXT on Friday, September 25, 2020

Sidney Ball

Hometown: Belleville
Age: 26
Where I trained: University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
What I earned: Technical certificate
Job title: Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
Employer: Tyson Foods in Clarksville

Sidney worked at Nuclear Outages for a few years and always wanted to jump in and help when it came to the industrial mechanics. A few years later, she began an associate degree program in industrial maintenance mechanics but left a couple of semesters early after finding out she was pregnant. She interviewed for a job at Tyson without having some of the required job qualifications. After explaining that she would work hard and prove herself, Sidney was offered a job.

Sidney has always loved to fix things and get hands-on experience anywhere she could. She is in charge of weekly and monthly preventative maintenance and works with conveyor belts, motors, and electric panels.


What does an Industrial maintenance tech do?

Perform preventative maintenance on equipment in a plant or factory; troubleshoot and repair equipment that has failed on the production line or in the shop. Maintenance technicians also give feedback on schedules, parts and supplies to improve accuracy and make things run smoothly.


Responsibilities

Maintain work equipment or machinery

Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair

Enter work orders for deficiencies found during the project management process

Troubleshoot and repair equipment

Attend machine-/OEM-specific training courses

Be an agent of safety and quality

Give feedback to ensure the plant or factory runs as smoothly as possible

Assist with assembly, start-up and shutdown of equipment


Education Needed

As little as on-the-job training, but a technical certificate or associate degree is recommended


Job Outlook

+9%
expected growth from 2018 to 2028 in Arkansas

 High-end earners in Arkansas (top 10%) make
$58,030 Annually
 Median wages in Arkansas
$37,950 Annually
$18.25 Hourly


This option is for you if:

You're a natural problem solver.
You enjoy using power tools.
You want an active work environment.
You have good hand-eye coordination.
You like to think outside of the box.


START YOUR TRAINING

ABB
Arkansas Construction Education Foundation
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Arkansas Northeastern College
Arkansas State University - Beebe
Arkansas State University - Mid South
Arkansas State University - Newport
Arkansas State University Three Rivers
Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus
Black River Technical College
East Arkansas Community College
Lexicon Inc.
National Park College
Phillips Community College
Southern Arkansas University Tech
UA Cossatot
University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology - Crossett
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton

READY TO HIRE YOU

ABB
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Cargill
Central Moloney Inc.
Haas Factory Outlet, a Division of Phillips
Hytrol
Lexicon Inc.
McKee Foods Corporation
Nabholz Construction
Simmons Foods Inc. & Affiliates
Tyson Foods
Welsco

"I love to fix things. I always have. I’ve taken what I learned from school and work and even use it at home when something breaks down. I love being able to look at a machine and tell right off the bat what needs to be fixed." –Sidney


Source: CareerOneStop.org

See more of your options in MANUFACTURING.