Engineer designs his career path

Class of 2016
Bachelor of Automotive Engineering and Management
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

As a Cost Planner with Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA) at the Toyota Technical Center in Michigan, Nick loves developing innovative solutions by working on body shell and engine compartment areas of the North American models designed there. He has recently made the move from General Dynamics where he worked as a Mechanical Systems Design Specialist. 
 
While working at General Dynamics, Nick combined his engineering education with his metal fabrication experience, “to solve a power pack mounting issue within two weeks – a challenge the company had been trying to address for 10 months," says Nick proudly. He was doubly pleased to have his design selected for testing on a prototype vehicle – his solution addressed requirements for building the vehicle economically and within tight timelines.
 
Nick says the university's Automotive Engineering program provided him with a standout career advantage. "It set me apart from others because it was the only program of its kind in Canada with classes tailored to the design of every area of a vehicle, such as the powertrain, chassis, suspension and body."
 
He believes acquiring practical knowledge and hands-on experience, whether through summer jobs, co-ops, internships or volunteering, is important for all students. "These can be the tie-breaker when applying for jobs and once you have a job, they also help you develop capable solutions for problems."
 
One day in the future, he hopes to start his own company designing and producing custom motorcycles and vehicles.  "I want to combine an assembly line process that reduces production costs, with modularity within individual vehicles to deliver customization. This is my dream."