***Editor’s Note: The “I Became An Engineer” blog runs every friday. To share your story email sarah.goncalves@advantagemedia.com***
This week’s story is brought to us by reader David Toler.
My father attended school into the sixth grade when he wasn’t busy farming and had about a third-grade reading level. He worked as a general repairman at the coal mine and repaired all manner of equipment. He also took a welding class and became a good welder. He designed and built many unique devices including a plow that mounted on one corner of a dozer blade to plow a deep trench to bury pipe in. I held a light for Dad while he worked on many things at home, and I had to watch what he was doing to keep the light on the work.
One of my earliest memories, around age five, is of my brother (who was seven years older) explaining how a derrick crane worked. I understood. With his help, we built a small one out of wood with a hand crank, and I used it to pull my toy trucks out of real mud pits.
Fast forward to 10 years old when I asked for an erector set for Christmas. I built everything in the instructions and began to design and build my own “machinery.”
My first “term paper” at age 11 was on “Jet Engines.”
Model cars taught me what all the parts were, and Dad taught me how to repair tires, grease the chassis, change oil, and do tune ups.
By age 18, my friends and I were building a ’57 Chevy to drag race.
I wasn’t fond of math, but I could do it. I loved science and almost went into pre-med for college because I learned that engineers could get into med school too.
The rest is engineering history (though no med school!). My first job was in jet engine design for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft.
I’m of retirement age now, having had a full career with no regrets! I’m a “left brain” person, and my wife is a “right brain” person. Our son is left and right. He has the capability to be an engineer but not the interest.
Those darn genetics…
Read other stories, here:
- A Note From The Editor: An Engineer’s Story
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of A Lunch Box
- I Became An Engineer: Because of Christmas Lights
- I Became An Engineer: Because Of The Cool Jackets
- I Became An Engineer: Because My Dad Said Not To
- I Became An Engineer: Despite Being Bad At Math
- I Became An Engineer: Because of Uncle Chet
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Can’t Stop Asking ‘Why?’
- I Became An Engineer: Because of Star Trek (Specifically Montgomery Scott)
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Was A Really Lucky Nerd
- I Became An Engineer: But ‘Nobody Knows’ Why
- I Became An Engineer: Because of Nuclear Submarines
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Sewing Machine
- I Became An Engineer: Because No One Was Hiring Shoe Salesmen
- I Became An Engineer: Because of Mr. Kenny, the TV/Radio Repair Man
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Book (And My Mom)
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Cattle Ranch
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Wise Father and the Possibility of Death
- I Became An Engineer: Because of An Evil Mastermind
- I Became An Engineer: To Get Off the Tractor
- I Became An Engineer: Because of My Rodeo Coach
- I Became An Engineer: Because the Air Force Equipment Kept Breaking
- I Became an Engineer: Because My Mom Let Me Take Apart the Old Vacuum
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Liked Tearing My Toys Apart
- I Became An Engineer: Because of the Mysterious Glowing Tubes
- I Became An Engineer: Because of My Father, Star Trek, and Music
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Was Tired of Sweating
- I Became An Engineer: But Almost the Wrong Kind
- I Became an Engineer: Because of a Car
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Trip to Disney World
- I Became An Engineer: Because I Ran Out of Programming Classes
- I Became An Engineer: Because of My Best Friend Joe
- I Became an Engineer: Because I Loved Languages
- I Became An Engineer: Because of a Hypothetical Hovercraft
- I Became An Engineer: Because of My Uncle’s Girlfriend’s Brother-in-Law
