From College to Quartz

December 2, 2024

Nick Mencis has studied more STEM subjects than most people will throughout a lifetime. Now, he works with HPQ – a sought-after quartz product needed to connect societies and develop new technologies.

Nick Mencis, a full-time engineer at The Quartz Corp and student in an accelerated master’s program, looks down at his phone. It displays a countdown app showing exactly how long it is until he can call himself a graduate with a master’s degree in science.

"Right now, it is 89 days, 15 hours and 39 seconds until I'm done with college," Nick laughs impatiently.

From Nerding to Learning

During his studies, he has explored cell molecular biology, chemical engineering, system automation and laboratorial automation – to mention a few subjects. “I’d say nerd is a good word for it,” Nick says.

Working onsite at a job location from the back of a pick up. — Variation: Some workdays bring Nick outdoors while other days consist of hard-core coding. Most days have a bit of both.

Nick never expected to move to a small town in North Carolina after college. However, an internship at The Quartz Corp opened his eyes to an industry his didn’t know much of before.

From Axes to Automation

Nick believes that some people might have a slightly outdated image of the mining industry. "It's gone from manual labor to very high-tech in a few years, and we are able to be part of an industry in transformation," he explains.

He stresses that manual labor still is really important, but that there is a lot more happening behind the scenes than people might think.

College books and devices — Room for nerds: Nick, a self-proclaimed nerd, didn’t think there would be engineering jobs in mining. Now he knows for sure that there are.

He encourages STEM students to consider mining as a career path. "I didn’t have an accurate image of the modern mining industry before I started either. I think people need to see it firsthand”.

He remembers going “down the rabbit hole” to figure out what quartz, high purity quartz (HPQ) and the modern mining industry actually contribute to. “For me, seeing a raw material develop into something that complex, is really cool,” Nick says.

From Theory to Practice

When he first applied as an intern, he didn’t know The Quartz Corp had engineering positions. Today, he puts his theoretical STEM knowledge into practice.

Nick working on school work at university. — Testing theory: Juggling college studies and work at The Quartz Corp, enabled Nick to test theoretical knowledge in practice.

“I have learned a lot on the technical and professional side. College is very theoretical, and you get a formula. Here, I have gotten the real-world experience of learning processes,” he says.

Today, Nick delves into a wide range of tasks and subjects during a workday: From data analysis using the programming languages Python and C# to collecting data at the plant, preparing it for the lab, and even assisting the IT team with cybersecurity. "This role is definitely different," he says.

IT team working in the office at The Quartz Corp. — A tailored experience: Nick appreciates being able to use his unique skills at work.

What sets The Quartz Corp apart, according to Nick, is the supportive and collaborative work environment. “People here want you to succeed," he emphasizes. "They really help you find your skills and develop them. They want to hear what you do and what you are curious about. They want to know you," he says.

From Intern to Engineer

And if other soon-to-be graduates within STEM subjects are still wondering why to consider a career with The Quartz Corp? Nick has a clear answer. "I'm 23 years old, I have a full-time job that challenges me and cheers me up every day, and I'm finishing my master's degree with help from my employer. This is not something you get to experience just anywhere."