By EMMA DELK

TRIADELPHIA — Natalie Marsh wants to evolve in the manufacturing and technology field in the same way she sees the industry evolving.

The fact that the engineering profession is constantly changing is what the tooling design engineer at Touchstone Advanced Composites finds the most rewarding about her profession. The opportunity to try an array of different roles while still using the same problem-solving skills keeps her sharp on the job.

“The engineering, manufacturing and tech fields are always changing and expanding,” the 25-year-old said. “Because of this, there is always an opportunity to learn more and be part of a constantly evolving industry.”

Three years into her career, the Sherrard native has thrived in the engineering and tech space. Though Marsh did not see herself entering the field as a child, she noted that growing up, she was a logical thinker who loved to create things.

“I used to spend my free time as a little kid making paper contraptions and attempting to have them function and look as close to the real thing as you can get with paper,” Marsh recalled. “I would also hang over my sister’s shoulder trying to soak in how to do her math homework. Ultimately, engineering just seemed to make the most sense for how my mind works.”

At West Virginia University, Marsh had to narrow down her general interest in the engineering profession. Classes and projects swayed Marsh toward certain disciplines, but taking a tour of WVU’s Design/Build/Fly lab convinced her that mechanical and aerospace engineering were the fields for her.

“I thought the aerospace industry was interesting and had a big future I would like to participate in,” Marsh noted. “I realized engineering would help get me there.”

Marsh went through “several job roles” at her prior employer, Pennsylvania manufacturer Johnson Matthey, including automation engineer and quality engineer. No matter her role, the lesson she took away remained the same.

“I needed to listen to everyone around me and stick around employees in other roles that I could one day have the opportunity to do,” said Marsh. “Not only did this help me get to know everyone around me and understand their roles more, but through learning parts of their roles and asking mechanics questions, I could do my job better.”

As a fledgling in the engineering field, Natalie Marsh has learned when to ask questions and when to listen.

“Although not all manufacturing facilities are the same, knowledge is still interchangeable between them,” Marsh noted. “I continue to see new ideas and projects, learn from a multitude of people and knowledge bases and feel like I’m contributing to that space.”

Before her move to TAC, Marsh lived outside of Philadelphia for “just shy of three years.”

She learned during that time, “You just can’t beat the feeling of a smaller town.”

What drew Marsh back to the Ohio Valley was how friendly the people are. Since her move back to Wheeling last December, Marsh feels she is experiencing “the best of both worlds.” She believes the area is seeing an increase in small businesses to draw in new people while maintaining its historical roots that “everyone knows and feels.”

Marsh’s current role at TAC entails designing various tools to customer specifications and following projects through their manufacturing cycle.

Another important aspect of her work is collaborating with other design engineers. The more questions she asks her fellow engineers on the job, the better equipped Marsh finds herself to understand problems that occur and have the knowledge to solve them.

“Through every role I have had, I found that listening and learning from all the other people that participated, whether they be in the same role that you hold or not, has been the most beneficial thing I could do,” Marsh said. “It’s always a collaborative effort, so start collaborating early.”

Even if they may be the only women in the room, Marsh does not want young girls entering the field to be afraid to ask questions and give their thoughts and opinions

“Be confident and don’t back down if this is the space you want to be in,” Marsh added. “Speak your mind, give your thoughts and opinions and never be afraid to ask questions.”

She also encourages women starting in the profession to take any challenge head-on. The motto she lives by, “Anyone can be a fisherman in May” speaks to this idea for her.

“I take the saying to mean that when everything is going right, and things are easy, then anyone can do something,” Marsh explained. “It’s what we do when things are hard and going wrong that proves what we can really do, so don’t stop when there’s a challenge.”

The number of women in the manufacturing and tech field is something Marsh believes will only grow. She noted that companies in the Ohio Valley are looking to diversify and Wheeling is taking “strides to get people interested in living in the area.”

“It’s only a matter of time before the number of women increases,” she added.

Marsh married Greg Shutler in October. They reside in Wheeling with two dogs, Laika and Pap, and their cat, Olive.

While continuing to develop her engineering skills at Touchstone, Marsh strives to keep listening and learning on the job.