Life after graduation can take unexpected turns — just ask Gillian Hammons.

A 2023 graduate of Western Nevada College’s Machine Tool Technology (MTT) program, Hammons has experienced a whirlwind of change in just a short time. After completing her studies, she relocated to Tennessee, launched her career as a tool and die maker with Bharat Forge and embraced a new role in her personal life as a stepmother.

But her biggest surprise was still to come ....

While enrolling her stepson at West Ridge High School in Eastern Tennessee ahead of his senior year, Hammons learned of an immediate opening — for a machining teacher.

“I said, ‘Well dang, I happen to be a tool and die maker,’” she recalled. “I applied but didn’t expect to even get an interview.”

Just three weeks later, she found herself at the front of a classroom.

“Perhaps through some divine intervention I got the teaching position,” Hammons said.

Although excited, the transition from manufacturing floor to school shop wasn’t without nerves. She credits fellow career and technical education instructors — in auto mechanics, construction and welding — for helping her find her footing during that first year.

“Luckily for me, I kept my head above water, made some good teaching friends who kind of kept me sane and I survived my first year teaching,” she said.

 

Building on a WNC Foundation

Hammons says her time in WNC’s MTT program laid the groundwork for both her industry career and her teaching success.

“It built a strong foundation in thinking beyond what’s on the blueprint,” she explained. “I learned how to visualize parts in three dimensions — mentally rotating them and planning the best pathways to accomplish the task.”

That deep understanding of manual machining made the leap to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) far less intimidating.

“I already understood how small movements affect the final part,” she said. “CNC is essentially the same 3D thinking, just executed faster by translating that mental image into code.”

Because coding fundamentals carry across machines, Hammons emphasizes concept mastery over memorization — a philosophy she now brings to her own classroom.

“Seeing Gillian take what she learned in our Machine Tool Technology program, succeed in the workforce and then bring that knowledge into the classroom to inspire the next generation is incredibly meaningful,” said WNC President Dr. J. Kyle Dalpe. “She represents the ripple effect of workforce education — where one student’s opportunity becomes an opportunity for many more.”

 

Teaching Students to Think — Not Just Operate

At West Ridge, Hammons structures her courses the same way she learned: start with fundamentals, then scale up.

“I focus on teaching them how to think like machinists first — understanding prints, visualizing parts in 3D and recognizing how tool movement impacts the final product — before ever touching a CNC machine,” she said.

By grounding students in manual machining and core concepts, she prepares them for long-term success.

“The goal is to give my students the same kind of solid foundation that opened doors for me,” Hammons said. “So they’re ready to step into industry, continue learning on the job and adapt to any shop or machine they encounter.”

 

The Unexpected Joy of Teaching

While she takes pride in preparing students for careers, Hammons says the most meaningful reward isn’t technical — it’s personal.

“I think my favorite part about teaching isn’t even the teaching part,” she said. “I love the relationships I’ve made with the kids.”

Now a second-year high school teacher, she’s created a classroom culture rooted in honesty and trust — a space where students feel comfortable sharing their lives, challenges and aspirations.

“These kids go out of their way to come tell me what’s going on in their lives — the good, the bad and the ugly,” she said. “They ask for advice, they vent, they ask really interesting questions about the world that open up conversations that otherwise go unvoiced.”

 

Interested in following a path like Gillian’s?

For more information about WNC’s Machine Tool Technology, welding and other Career & Technical Education programs, call 775-445-4272 or email wcte@wnc.edu.

“Most students can become skilled for a good entry level to go into a shop with at least basic experience and knowledge,” said WNC Machine Tool Technology Instructor Ronald Beller. “They can then return to school to get their certs/degree to further their career.”