When Evan Thomas stepped onto the stage at AJAC’s 2026 Graduation Ceremony, he wasn’t just another guest speaker.
Nine years earlier, he had been sitting in the audience himself.
A graduate of AJAC’s Machinist Apprenticeship Class of 2017, Thomas returned to celebrate a new generation of journey-level professionals and remind them that every successful career begins with someone willing to open a door.
Speaking to the 69 graduates representing 52 employers and eight occupations across Washington State, Thomas reflected on his own unlikely path into manufacturing.
Thomas admitted that manufacturing wasn’t part of his original career plan.
“I didn’t take a shop class in high school. I didn’t grow up machining parts in a garage. Manufacturing wasn’t something that was presented to me early in life.”
Like many people entering the trades, he was simply looking for an opportunity. A conversation with a friend’s mother led him to explore machining, eventually enrolling in a certificate program at Bates Technical College.
His early experience wasn’t easy.
“I passed… but just barely.”
The language of machining, blueprints, tolerances, feeds, speeds, and tool offsets felt overwhelming. But through persistence, something began to click.
“At first it feels impossible. But once it clicks… it becomes a skill that stays with you for life.”
The Value of Staying the Course
Thomas shared that his first manufacturing jobs didn’t always work out. Like many apprentices, he questioned whether he belonged in the industry.
There were difficult shifts, frustrating setups, and mistakes that every machinist eventually experiences.
His advice?
Keep your eyes on the long-term goal.
“My goal wasn’t just the next day or the next job. My goal was that journey-level card.”
That goal led him to AJAC in 2013, where he completed his machinist apprenticeship and graduated in 2017.
Standing before the Class of 2026, he reminded graduates that he once sat exactly where they were.
“The machine might be expensive… but the lesson is always free.”
Building More Than Parts
Thomas also spoke about balancing apprenticeship with family life.
Working swing shift while raising a young daughter wasn’t glamorous, but every day carried a larger purpose.
“Every day I showed up, I was building something bigger than just parts. I was building stability. I was building opportunity. And I was building a future for my family.”
That perspective continues to shape his career today.
From Making Parts to Changing Lives
Throughout his machining career, Thomas worked on projects that many Washingtonians have experienced firsthand, including machining gears used in the renovation of Seattle’s rotating Space Needle restaurant and components for the remarkable 10,000 Year Clock.
Yet he discovered that his greatest accomplishment wasn’t measured by the parts he produced.
It was the people he helped.
Recognizing the need to create more opportunities for others, particularly those who haven’t traditionally seen themselves represented in manufacturing, Thomas transitioned into education.
Today, he teaches Advanced Manufacturing at Pierce County Skills Center, where he helped launch an AJAC Youth Apprenticeship pathway that allows high school seniors to split their time between the classroom and paid industry experience.
Watching students discover their potential has become one of the most rewarding parts of his career.
Paying It Forward
The heart of Thomas’s message centered on a simple but powerful idea: none of us succeeds alone.
Every graduate, he said, arrived at this milestone because someone answered a question, shared knowledge, or offered an opportunity.
Now, it’s their turn.
“As graduates, you become that person for someone else.”
With experienced manufacturing professionals retiring across the industry, Thomas challenged the Class of 2026 to become mentors, teachers, and leaders for the next generation.
“Every time you help someone learn a skill… every time you show someone how to run a machine… you strengthen the future of this entire industry.”
Built for What’s Next
Thomas closed by reminding graduates that earning journey-level status is more than a personal achievement.
It carries the responsibility to continue learning, continue improving, and continue helping others grow.
“The greatest compliment you will ever receive in this field isn’t someone saying you’re good at your job. The greatest compliment is when someone says, ‘I learned that from you.'”
As the Class of 2026 begins the next chapter of their careers, Thomas’s own journey stands as a reminder of what’s possible through apprenticeship.
From uncertain beginner to AJAC graduate, machinist, educator, and mentor, his story reflects the lasting impact of opportunity and the importance of passing it on.
Congratulations to AJAC’s Class of 2026. We can’t wait to see how you’ll build the future and help others do the same.
