Nushrat Ahmed
Swiss-type Lathe Operator
From Hot Wheels to Cool Skills
Nushrat Ahmed Turned an Obsession with Cars into an Enriching Career
It all started with hot wheels. Nushrat (Nush) Ahmed loved cars from an early age. As she grew up, she quickly realized that cars were her source of both freedom and inspiration.
Now in her early 20s, Nush turned her interest in cars into a career in manufacturing. After graduating from the NASCAR Technical Institute, Nush found a position as a Swiss-type lathe operator. She is excited about the future of manufacturing and the impact she can make with the right tools in her hand.
On the Open Road
“I was obsessed with hot wheels from an early age. I loved all the sports cars,” recalls Nush. “I got a Mustang as my first car, and that will always symbolize freedom to me. It gave me so much independence, and I loved it.”
Nush's love for cars led her to automotive technician classes in high school. She quickly realized that while she loved working on cars, she didn't want to do it full time. However, she knew she wanted to do something in motorsports.
Shifting Gears
As the daughter of Bengali immigrants, Nush was expected to go to college. “When I decided to move North Carolina and go to NASCAR Technical Institute, my parents were very apprehensive,” she says. “However, when I graduated and got an excellent job, they were incredibly supportive. They now realize that the manufacturing field has a lot of amazing career opportunities.”
Nush was working as a CNC operator when a manager in the adjacent shop noticed her aptitude and dedication and encouraged her to apply for a Swiss lathe position. She now works for Trend Performance fabricating valve locks and adjuster screws for high-powered automotive and powersport applications. Nush has learned how to troubleshoot problems and ensure her machines run smoothly during the day and are set up for lights-out manufacturing overnight.
Working in a male dominated industry, Nush has experienced challenges ranging from doubt about her skills to a lack of advancement opportunities. She notes that at Trend she has been given a chance to prove her skills and improve her knowledge base.
“I am lucky in my current job because of the support I receive from my coworkers and supervisors. More often than not, women and young people have to go an extra five miles to prove ourselves while our older, male counterparts are doing less work and getting more recognition,” Nush says.
As far as dealing with her mostly male co-workers, Nush takes a no-nonsense approach. “I know that being a woman does not hinder my ability to do my job. The proof is in the output.”
Picking up Speed
Now known online as Miss Swiss, Nush is excited about the future of manufacturing and her place in it. She has found a community of people online and has begun appearing on podcasts instead of just listening and subscribing. With the help of several online mentors, she is considering many options in manufacturing.
She is particularly interested in robotics. “So much of the stuff that is happening in robotics sounds like sci-fi, but it is real life. It gives me the chills,” Nush explains. “I have a mechanical brain. I look at a machine and think ‘What can I make to make money?' I really feel like with modern machines you can do anything you can dream.”
Cruising to the Future
As a rising star in the manufacturing industry, Nush loves breaking down barriers and living her life to the fullest while many of her high school peers are still taking finals and racking up student debt. While she acknowledges that college is perfect for some people, she knew it wasn't the right path for her.
“I am from Cambridge, so I applied to Harvard after my guidance counselor pressed me to apply to colleges,” Nush recalled. “It was a joke to me, and I obviously didn't get in. But when I got into the NASCAR school, I was so excited. I just knew something with automotive manufacturing was the right path for me.”
Nush may have shifted gears into Swiss machining, but it is clear that her career is on a roll and picking up speed. Manufacturing gave her the freedom to choose her own path, and she is determined to share that gift with others as she steps up as a mentor herself. Ladies, start your engines.
Find Nush, explore new technology, and meet manufacturers at IMTS 2024 in Chicago from September 9-14, 2024. Register here.