Alyssa O’Brien

How did you choose a career in manufacturing and what do you enjoy most about your work?

My entry into manufacturing isn’t the most captivating story, but a rather common beginning. To be honest, it was something that found me in a fortunate crossing of paths.

After college, I was interviewing for design-related positions, when a college schoolmate, already working in OSG’s engineering department, recommended I interview at OSG. Aside from basic tools that I had tinkered with over the years, helping my dad with this-and-that around the house, I didn’t know a tap from an end mill. I owe the vast majority of my manufacturing competency today to my training, colleagues, and experiences while working at OSG. As a life-long learner, I love how this industry continues to evolve, and as a result, provides a tremendous amount of continuous growth opportunities.

I also appreciate how the cutting tool industry specifically, provides access to just about every major manufacturing industry – automotive, medical, aerospace, mold & die, job shop, defense, energy, construction, machine tool building, recreational sporting… and I get to experience so much while I travel and collaborate with customers across the U.S.

Last, and arguably the best, there’s something special about the people I get to work with every day. To me, they’re the salt of the earth! I’m grateful to work with people who want to craft and build, people who think creatively yet analytically, people with a sense of pride and a sense of humor – my kind of people. They keep me going, even on the rough days!