“How did an engineer become a CG Artist?” Part Deux
“I couldn’t even spell PLC!”

So – here we go – into the early phase of this journey. If you are still reading along with the series, I am amazed and humbled.

A great thing about my engineering school, UofL Speed School, was the co-op program. It’s a great opportunity to ‘intern’ at a real-life job and see what it’s like. You work full time a total of 3 semesters with a typical college semesters in between each.

Co-op – What a life!

My 1st co-op was at Colgate (the toothpaste folks). Towards the end of the semester, I witnessed a layoff. Several of the folks let go were senior and it was a difficult day. That was an education you won’t get in school.

The 2nd/3rd co-op rotations were at the tried-and-true Henry Vogt Machine company, a manufacturer of forged steel valves, huge heat recovery steam generators and industrial ice machines. I worked in the Tube-Ice department where they make industrial ice machines (1k lbs/day to 80 tons/day) that produced cylindrical ice with a hole in the middle of it. You probably have seen it!

👔My boss at the time was a strait laced professional looking engineer. He wore a tie every day and mostly sat in his office reading ASHRAE code books. 😳 He was very smart.

One day he said “Paul – I want you to build an automated test stand and program a PLC to drive the automation”.  ⁉ A PL-whuh? ⁉

I assume that most of you reading this were like me…I had ZERO clue what that was. I couldn’t even spell PLC!

⚡But this is where that touch of ADHD, ability/desire to learn and FOMO all come together plus a little bit of competitive tenacity to say – “heck yeah – let’s figure this out!!!”

🤯So within a very short time, I built the automated test stands, learned about welding, plumbing/piping, relay ladder logic, analog/digital control signals, refrigeration and automation.

All over the Map!

Now dude – That’s all over the map. Really…but that is how I roll.

🎺I’m not tooting my own horn here. Looking back, I think it’s a bit frenetic and scatter brained. But, for whatever reason, I can consume and synthesize all this crazy info, see different connections and produce something that works really well.

💪I’ve come to realize and embrace this as my superpower.

🤷‍♂️ Here is a fresh young mechanical engineer – becoming THE guy on ELECTRICAL controls / PLCs / automation. What in the world? But – like in the past – I just saw what was in front of me and went after it. #PlinkoLife

😑There wasn’t a lot of thought like “how does this further what you want to do in your life/career”. This was always my challenge. React vs. think.
If I could go back and talk to junior engineer Paulie, I’d say – “hey bro – it’s cool and all that you can learn fast etc…but what does this have to do with where you want to go? And for that matter dude, where DO you want to go?”

😕I wouldn’t get this answer for several years.

I was starting to realize…hmm I’m not your typical engineer!