Chapter 33

Jason pulled into the visitor parking lot at New Wave Control Systems just before 10 AM on a gray Thursday morning. He was not at all certain why he had agreed to the meeting, but Dr. Longwell’s suggestion that he keep his eyes open for opportunities still resonated. The only thing he had to lose was a few hours of his time and he was curious about their apprenticeship program.

The facility was impressive—a modern manufacturing complex in Everett’s aerospace corridor, with clean lines and the kind of security infrastructure that suggested serious government contracts.

Linda Williams, the woman he had spoken to, met him at the reception desk. She was a professional-looking woman in her sixties with the efficient, no-nonsense manner of someone who’d been managing schedules for decades.

“Mr. Stone, thank you for coming up. I’m Linda Williams, Mr. Albright’s executive assistant. He’s looking forward to meeting you.”

“Nice to meet you. I have to admit, I’m curious about what a defense contractor wants with a fired teacher.”

Linda smiled. “Mr. Albright will explain. But first, he’d like to give you a tour of the facility—the non-classified sections, of course.”

Richard Albright emerged from an interior office, extending his hand. He was in his early fifties, fit, with the kind of focused energy that came from purpose. Jason recognized the type immediately—successful executive type. His bearing reminded him of his colonel. A man comfortable with command. One who probably thrived in high-pressure environments.

“Jason Stone. Good to meet you. My son David and I listened to your interview with Bonnie Miller. I was impressed by your thoughts on teaching kids high agency.”

Jason shook his hand, noting the firm grip and direct eye contact. “Thank you. I’m glad to have the opportunity to see your facility. Though I’m still not entirely sure why I’m here.”

“Let me show you what we do, then we’ll talk about why you’re here. Fair enough?”

“Fair enough.”

The tour began on the engineering floor, where rows of technicians and engineers worked on navigation systems for commercial aircraft. Richard explained the work with clear pride but without unnecessary jargon.

“We design and manufacture guidance and navigation systems for Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus. Every component has to meet aerospace standards—five sigma defects.”

Jason watched the workers with professional interest, noting the mixture of focused concentration and collaborative problem-solving. “How many employees?”

“Twelve hundred across all operations. About three hundred engineers, the rest skilled technical workers—machinists, electronics technicians, quality control specialists. This is our largest facility.”

They moved through the facility, Richard pointing out different departments. The apprenticeship training area caught Jason’s attention—young people learning precision machining under the supervision of experienced craftsmen.

“This is impressive,” Jason said. “Formal apprenticeship programs?”

“Three-year programs for machinists and electronics technicians. We recruit from community colleges and technical schools, providing on-the-job training combined with classroom instruction. Thirty-five dollars an hour for apprentices with full benefits. It’s a good career.”