Success story: Driven by Possibility: Mariestela Rosario's Commitment to Continuous Learning
Employee Testimonial
“I feel the responsibility to apply every class directly to my workbench. To me, it’s a vote of confidence and a huge motivation.”
- Mariestela Rosario -
Success story: Driven by Possibility: Mariestela Rosario’s Commitment to Continuous Learning
For Mariestela Rosario, continuing her education is about bringing new knowledge back to the workbench—and using it to make a measurable difference.
Mariestela recently completed her associate degree in mechanical engineering at MassBay Community College in Wellesley, all while working full time as an engineering technician at Hutchinson.
“I’m studying mechanical engineering to bridge the gap between testing and design,” Mariestela says. “My goal is to design fixtures that make our setup faster and more repeatable.”
Through her coursework, Mariestela has built knowledge that helps her look at testing challenges in new ways, identify opportunities for improvement and develop solutions that support greater consistency in the lab. Even before completing her degree, she had already designed and implemented fixtures for Hutchinson.
“My education has helped me grow in my position,” she says. “Now, when I see a part not performing as expected, I’m thinking about a new fixture or a solution to fix the problem. And I’m happy for that.”
Hutchinson supported Mariestela as she worked toward her degree, providing reimbursement for eligible education expenses and offering schedule flexibility when needed. At times, balancing both worlds meant starting work early, leaving for class, then returning to complete her day. It required discipline, planning and a strong commitment to both her job and her education.
“I feel the responsibility to apply every class directly to my workbench,” says Mariestela, who earned all A’s except for one B while pursuing her degree. “My commitment is to make sure every dollar the company invests in my education turns into technical improvement. To me, it’s a vote of confidence and a huge motivation.”
Mariestela has been with Hutchinson for 15 years, building her experience across different roles before moving into the test lab. Her interest in engineering began before she came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico, where she had started studying electrical engineering. Life changed her path, but it did not change her ambition.
Now, with her associate degree complete, Mariestela is looking toward a new goal: pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester.
Mariestela encourages others to take advantage of the education benefits available to them. As she says, “it’s never too late.”