▁the ▁Taylor ▁family ). ▁He ▁left ▁his ▁app rent ices hip ▁for ▁six ▁months ▁and ▁represented ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁New ▁England ▁machine - tool ▁manufact ur ers ▁at ▁Philadelphia ' s ▁cent enn ial ▁ex position . ▁Taylor ▁finished ▁his ▁four - year ▁app rent ices hip ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁became ▁a ▁machine - shop ▁labor er ▁at ▁Mid v ale ▁Ste el ▁Works . ▁At ▁Mid v ale , ▁he ▁was ▁quickly ▁promoted ▁to ▁time ▁cl erk , ▁jour ne yman ▁mach in ist , ▁gang ▁b oss ▁over ▁the ▁lat he ▁hands , ▁machine ▁shop ▁for eman , ▁research ▁director , ▁and ▁finally ▁chief ▁engineer ▁of ▁the ▁works ▁( while ▁maintain ing ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁machine ▁shop ▁for eman ). ▁Taylor ' s ▁fast ▁prom ot ions ▁reflected ▁both ▁his ▁talent ▁and ▁his ▁family ' s ▁relationship ▁with ▁Edward ▁Clark , ▁part ▁owner ▁of ▁Mid v ale ▁Ste el . ▁( Ed ward ▁Clark ' s ▁son ▁Clar ence ▁Clark , ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁manager ▁at ▁Mid v ale ▁Ste el , ▁married ▁Taylor ' s ▁sister .) ▁ ▁Early ▁on ▁at ▁Mid v ale , ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁labor er ▁and ▁mach in ist , ▁Taylor ▁recognized ▁that ▁work men ▁were ▁working ▁their ▁machines , ▁or ▁themselves , ▁not ▁nearly ▁as ▁hard ▁as ▁they ▁could ▁( a ▁practice ▁that ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁called ▁" s old ier ing ") ▁and ▁that ▁this ▁resulted ▁in ▁high ▁labor ▁costs ▁for ▁the ▁company . ▁When ▁he ▁became