From ECC to NIU to Industry: Huskie Engineering Grads' Journeys Highlight Regional Talent Pipeline

When Joseph Rayner first stepped onto a manufacturing floor as a 17-year-old intern, he wasn't certain where the experience would lead.

What he discovered was a career path that combined hands-on problem solving, engineering and continuous learning, ultimately taking him from Elgin Community College to Northern Illinois University and into a full-time engineering role at an Elgin-based technology company.

Today, the 2026 NIU mechanical engineering graduate works as an application engineer at Assurance Technologies Inc. (ATI), where he has steadily advanced through multiple roles while earning his degree and developing the skills needed for a career in manufacturing and engineering.

The 26-year-old South Elgin resident’s story reflects a regional pipeline that is helping local students move from community college classrooms to four-year engineering programs and into careers with northern Illinois employers.

"It surprised me, the possibilities that are available, that you can break into the world of engineering by seeing some of this hands-on work and some of the impacts you have on the world," Rayner said.

A graduate of St. Charles North High School, Rayner first attended Elgin Community College before transferring to NIU's College of Engineering and Engineering Technology to pursue a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

Along the way to attaining his degree this May, he immersed himself in manufacturing, beginning as a teenager and gaining experience in a variety of technical roles that helped shape his career interests.

"I was drawn to the ability to get my hands dirty and get hands-on experience," Rayner said.

His experience ranged from production and manufacturing operations to quality and inspection work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped construct ventilators and later participated in inspection activities related to those devices, gaining firsthand experience with products that had an immediate impact on people's lives.

`Hands-On, Moving-Up Potential’

That progression mirrors what local manufacturers increasingly need: employees who understand both the practical realities of production and the engineering principles behind them.

"Joey just models the hands-on, moving-up potential for those who go into manufacturing," said Dustin Smith, sales and applications manager at Assurance Technologies. "It's a great way to find what you want to do for a career."

Smith noted that while earning his degree, Rayner gained exposure to nearly every aspect of ATI's operations.

"He's touched every part of our industry," Smith said, citing experience in shipping and receiving, quality control, CNC machine operation, CNC setup and even some programming work tied to manufacturing processes.

That combination of academic learning and workplace experience proved beneficial for both Rayner and the company.

"NIU is a great platform for it," Smith said. "He works and earns a salary while also bringing what he's learning in the classroom back into the workplace. We benefit from that learning, and he benefits from the experience."

Founded in Elgin and now operating facilities there at 1760 Brittania Drive and in Warsaw, Indiana, ATI has grown from roughly 20 employees in 2015 to about 70 employees today. The company specializes in measurement, calibration and quality assurance services that help manufacturers improve accuracy, consistency and efficiency.

"The quality world is really booming, and our services are very much needed in the manufacturing world," Smith said.

ATI has developed a strong track record of hiring graduates who followed a path from ECC to NIU. Rayner is among several success stories from that pipeline.

`A Strong Return on Your Investment’

Another recent example is Nicholas Gomez, a graduate of Bartlett High School who was enrolled in its STEM Academy. He earned his associate degree at ECC before completing his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at NIU in December 2024.

Gomez, who now works in the technical sales development program for Johnson Controls in Milwaukee, said that he believes his experience “is a good example of how this type of education and industry pathway can provide a strong return on your investment.”

Starting at ECC, he said, “gave me the time and flexibility to work while continuing my education.”

“That was valuable not only from an experience standpoint, but financially as well, because working at ATI allowed me to save money while earning my degree and made the overall investment in my education more manageable,” Gomez said.

Gomez also cited the blend of ATI’s “real-world applications” and the academic grounding he gained at NIU: “That gave me a much stronger understanding of engineering and helped me develop the communication, problem-solving and professional skills that you don’t always get from a classroom alone.”

Gomez, 25, is now transitioning into a technical sales manager role supporting fire suppression products in the Pacific Northwest.

One of the biggest lessons Rayner learned is that students do not necessarily need to choose between work and education.

As he advanced through manufacturing positions, he benefited from flexible scheduling, tuition assistance and support from employers that recognized the value of investing in employee development. ATI provided tuition reimbursement, flexibility around coursework and substantial support for his NIU senior design project, including access to equipment and after-hours use of company facilities.

"If you can't afford it right away, there are opportunities to get into the field, learn hands-on, get your education and receive assistance to help pay for it," Rayner said.

That employer support became especially important during his NIU senior design experience.

Rather than partnering with a different company, Rayner saw an opportunity to tackle a challenge facing his own employer. Working alongside classmates Scott Crane and Sujit Kirin, and under the guidance of NIU faculty member Bo Zhang, he helped develop a universal bracket system for precision metrology equipment used by ATI.

The project required students to apply classroom concepts while considering real-world constraints such as cost, manufacturability, materials and usability. ATI staff worked closely with the team throughout the process.

"Sponsoring a senior design project was a great experience,” Smith said. “I'm so glad we did it."

NIU College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET) provides affordable access to a world-class engineering education. Its fully accredited programs emphasize hands-on experience, with small classes taught by experienced, dedicated faculty that help a diverse array of students explore and ignite their passions in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs.

Learn more by visiting the CEET website.