CFCC Machining Grad Now Runs His Own Shop

Thirteen years after walking into his first machining class at Cape Fear Community College, Tripp Jones is running his own shop and hiring graduates from the same program that launched his career.

When Tripp first enrolled at CFCC, he wasn’t thinking about manufacturing. He started in the college transfer program and planned to enter veterinary medicine. But along the way, something clicked.

“I’d look at hardware on doors or pieces on cabinets and think, everything comes from a machine shop. It opened my eyes.”

Tripp graduated from CFCC’s Computer Integrated Machining program in 2014, worked in a few different shops, and found his stride in a job shop environment where no two days were alike.

Taking the Leap into Business Ownership

By the end of 2019, Tripp decided it was time to leap into business ownership. He bought a small building, moved in his first machines, and on March 4, 2020, Aero Marine Biotech ran its first part for profit. Days later, COVID-19 shut the world down.

“I had two companies that promised me a whole bunch of work, then COVID hit,” Tripp said. “I got on the phone and started making tons of calls. I worked my tail off and pulled a couple of small contracts in. We were trying to build it one customer at a time.”

That hard work paid off. Today, Aero Marine Biotech is known for tackling challenging, high-precision projects.

“We could be working on the nitrogen release valves that go on a NASA rocket to a golf club putter head,” Tripp said. “We have had zero rejected parts since opening up the business.”

Full Circle with CFCC

As the business grew, Tripp built a new facility and invested in advanced five-axis machining. With the latest technology came a focus on creating a skilled and reliable team starting with the program that gave him his start.

“One of my key influences was CFCC instructor Nick Blair.” Tripp said. “Nick is what I consider one of the greatest machinists of all time. If there’s a part I’m hesitant to run or can’t figure out how to fix, I reach out to him. By the end, there will be a whiteboard full of notes and multiple ways to approach it. He makes the process easy to understand, and if he doesn’t know, he’ll say so.”

Tripp knows what to expect from CFCC grads. “The ones who succeed are willing to learn and get excited about machining. That’s who I want on my team.”

Jamie King, a recent CFCC graduate and one of Tripp’s hires, embodies that drive. “Jamie gets really excited about what we do, and he’s always willing to go the extra mile and learn something new,” Tripp said. “People who can separate confidence and ego when they walk in the door are the people that always turn out to be really good machinists.”

Changing Perceptions and Supporting Growth

Tripp also works to challenge common misconceptions about machining. “People think machining is all dirty and grungy,” he said. “We spend a lot of time keeping our coolant clean, the air clean, and we have HEPA filters on all the machines.”

He also emphasizes opportunity and growth for his team.

“I will never cap anyone out in here. As you grow, we’ll pay more. My number one guy can attest. He more than doubled his salary in his first year.”

Passing on the Craft

For Tripp, learning never stops. “You never graduate and officially become a master. You’re always practicing and developing a new skill,” he said. “Someone came in who’d been machining for almost 40 years, and we showed him a part. He said, ‘Man, I would have never thought to do it like that.’ On the flip side, he showed me things I’d never seen. There’s more than one right way to do something; it’s all about finding the most efficient way.”

Even with long hours, Tripp says the passion keeps him going.

“I have not had a full weekend off in a long time. But you don’t get burnt out when you love what you do.”