▲ 8 r/CNC
How much shop-floor experience should someone have before managing a CNC team?
Our shop recently hired a group of graduates. They’ll rotate through CNC, sheet metal, thermoforming, and 3D printing, working alongside experienced operators and team leads before choosing a specialty.
We want to give them enough hands-on experience to see who could eventually handle both the technical work and the people side of leading a team. We’re not trying to rush anyone into management.
How do other shops decide when someone is ready? Do you require a minimum number of years on the floor? What matters most: setting up and programming independently, troubleshooting under pressure, understanding quality and scheduling, or earning the team’s trust?
u/RapidDirect2019 — 24 hours ago