Hi I am Skyler and this is Brian my Mentor. Brian is a Service manager and has a mechanical engineering B.S. I have been mentoring under Brian and the staff of Handlebars for the past 2 weeks as my Link internship. It is March 13 2013 and I am interviewing Brian so that I can learn his professional journey of getting an engineering degree and being one because I am interested in becoming an engineer.

- Why where you interested in getting your mechanical engineering B.S.?

Biggest reason was that my grandpa was a successful in mechanical engineering. Talking to him growing up I heard a lot of cool stories that got me interested in being a mechanical engineering. I have also always been interested in talking stuff apart and seeing how stuff worked as a kid. I remember taking apart RC cars and whatever ells I could and wouldn't get in trouble taking apart. 



- How was the schooling and what where the mistakes you made in applying for college and attending it?

Worst part was probably not taking calculus in high school. Not preparing for college level math really hurt me in college and my freshmen year my program director was gone during orientation and registration, so we had a fill-in guy and he messed up on telling what courses to take, and in what order.



- Why did you take up a job as Service manager when you have a B.S. in mechanical engineering?

Because I wanted to live in Durango Colorado. I worked in Saint Paul for a while and driving an hour there and an hour back I wanted to blow my brains out. Plus working in an office with the same four people all day isn't what I consider having fun.



- What is some important schooling that always papers in the field of Mechanical Engineering you have to be good at if you want to be an engineer?

I would have to say Mechanical aptitude, physics, a lot of math, and varying science depending on what you want to do.



- What do you like about your current job?

Working around toys and being able to be hands on in projects instead of working on a computer all day.



- What is the greatest challenge in being an engineer?

I think its finding a good job that you enjoy to do. If you get a job designing a toilet it’s hard to stay motivated and working in a big city can be hard dealing with the complexities. Along with some companies policies of keeping engineers as streast as possible is not a good way to live your day to day.



- What advice would you give me as a junior thinking about being an engineer?

Prepare through your courses to complete college prerequisites.

​

- Having gone through college what advice do you have about applying for college?

Decide what field you want to go into engineering and make sure you are going to school for the educa

MENTOR INTERVIEW