Alumnus Soars with Bachelor’s in Operations Management

With two programs under his belt at Clover Park Technical College, alumnus Josh Myron is blazing forward with continued higher education and career advancement.

Myron began in the Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) program at CPTC. Gaining the education from AMT and looking toward the future, Myron saw a clear path to advance into the Bachelor of Applied Science in Operations Management program (BAS-OPM).

The BAS-OPM degree takes approximately six to eight quarters and pairs operations management tools with business skills to give students real-life insight into their industry applications. The program is designed to set students up for success in supervisory and management roles.

Myron first gained exposure to the BAS-OPM program while finishing the AMT program. Jumping into the new program, he found it was a seamless transition to transfer credits and continue his momentum.

“This allowed me to move right into the BAS program and maintain the motivation and dedication I had during the AMT,” Myron said.

Myron also reflected on the fact that “both programs provided a base knowledge and understanding of content, then required practical application through projects and assignments. This learning style suits me very well and I found success in both programs.”

As a student at CPTC, Myron’s career development took off even while still in school. While in the BAS-OPM program he started with his current company and saw the immediate application of the skills he was learning.

“This position required a tremendous amount of project management skills and lean manufacturing principles. I had the opportunity to directly apply what I was learning in the BAS program on a daily basis at work,” Myron said.

Myron currently works in Kent, WA for a manufacturer that supplies parts for major aerospace companies like Boeing, Airbus, and Honeywell. He is involved with the Department of Defense contracts for his company.

Starting with his current employer while a student at CPTC in the BAS-OPM program reassured Myron of his decision to continue his education beyond his time in the AMT program.

Myron appreciated the way technical knowledge paired with practical applications, giving him the opportunity to immediately practice what he was learning. This gave him continued confidence in his educational path and Myron found it easy to map out his career plans for the coming years.

When starting school he first thought he would stop after completing the AMT program. He quickly saw other possibilities to expand his horizons and set himself up for even greater success in his chosen field, even a decade down the road, with a bachelor’s degree.

Although the programs were very different, each felt worthwhile and gave him a solid educational foundation to now pursue his master’s degree.

“I am currently enrolled in the Master in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship program through Pennsylvania State University,” said Myron. “This program stems from their MBA, with specific applications and focused learning on entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Transferring from CPTC to Pennsylvania State University was another easy transition. Myron wasn’t required to complete any additional prerequisite courses before beginning his program.

However, goal-oriented Myron doesn’t want to stop at his current achievements.

“My intention is to complete this program and later complete my MBA through Penn State,” Myron said.