“The moment my mom put a Lego set in front of me, I remember thinking how much I loved building things,” Kuritar said.
Kuritar attended public school in the Little Miami District and by then, he was not only building things but also taking them apart. With his toys and other household gadgets in pieces, he learned how to figure out how they worked and what made them run. But, also how to make improvements.
As a high schooler, he attended Warren County Career Center, but at first wasn’t sure about his career path.
“My first job was in food and beverage at King’s Island,” Kuritar, who now lives in Franklin, said. “I wasn’t sure I liked that job but when the opportunity to go to Warren County Career Center popped up, I looked at what they offered.”
Kuritar had developed an interest in information technology and robotics, and his teachers suggested the career center. There he met a professor, Chuck Higgins, who became a good friend and helped him decide on classes like hydraulics, electrical processes and robotics.
“It was a great start for me and my career and I loved it,” Kuritar said.
As a senior in 2018, Kuritar was offered an internship at Mitsubishi Electric while still working at King’s Island. A machine accident sidelined him for more than two months, but once he was cleared, he was able to return to work.
“During that time, I started thinking maybe I should do something else that wasn’t as risky,” Kuritar said. “I thought about going to college and then heard about the Mechatronics Apprenticeship program at Festo.”
The Mechatronics program (MAP) was established by Festo Didactic to address the workforce skills gap in advanced manufacturing. It was designed to help students learn advanced manufacturing skills while holding a steady job, giving them hands on training. Since many manufacturing companies face challenges finding qualified workers, it is estimated that nearly 400,000 jobs in the sector remain unfilled.
“I walked into the facility in Mason and thought it was the cleanest places I ever saw,” Kuritar said. “I was asking a lot of questions about expectations and training.”
Kuritar was hired, after receiving assurances that training would be extensive. He found a mentor in his manager, Louis Morales, who taught him the ropes.
“Through the apprenticeship program, I increased my knowledge in robotics, hydraulics and electrical systems,” Kuritar said.
After two years, Kuritar was able to apply for a full-time role with the company, and he was hired as mechanical assembler in 2020. In addition, the company encouraged him to attend college classes at Sinclair two days per week, which were paid by Festo. For Kuritar this was the benefit that sealed the deal.
“I was thinking about college, but my budget was tight and I couldn’t get scholarships, even with a high GPA,” Kuritar said. “I was hoping to study mechanical engineering.”
When Kuritar started his full-time job with Festo, he was working third shift, which wasn’t his first choice. But he decided to put in his time and focus on increasing his mechanical knowledge and skills. About 18 months later, he was hired to work in customer solutions. And in 2020, he earned his associate’s degree from Sinclair through the Mechatronics program.
“My job is diagnosing everything our engineers come up with,” Kuritar said.
In 2021, he married Brittany and they were looking for a home when they drove into Franklin and decided they really loved the small-town feel. The couple moved there in 2022 and had a baby son last year.
For Kuritar, the job at Festo has been a dream come true and he continues to excel at his job. He has discovered that not everyone needs to have a college degree in order to find and keep a good job.
“Even for people like me who don’t necessarily know what they want to do, there is always an opportunity in vocational programs,” Kuritar said. “Many companies offer certificate programs too.”