Behind the career: Manufacturing Engineering

Manufacturing engineer - Erin

Erin

Manufacturing Engineer at Apple 

Coming into her undergraduate at UBC, Erin didn’t know what manufacturing engineering even was, let alone that she will become a manufacturing engineer at one of the top tech companies in the world. 

“I really had no idea what I wanted to do when I started engineering. I just knew I liked math and physics and was open to trying new things” Erin recalls. 

Erin kept this open-minded approach throughout her time at university, pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, a minor in Commerce and working at a gold mining company for her first co-op placement. 

It wasn’t until her internship at Tesla that Erin found her passion for manufacturing engineering. She was drawn to the problem-solving aspect of manufacturing, and how every day was different, giving her the ability to “do all different sorts of engineering all the time.” From building first prototypes to running production line; there was nothing more rewarding to her than watching the designs she worked so hard on get replicated hundreds and thousands of times. 

After graduating with her bachelors, Erin returned to Tesla to work full-time as a manufacturing engineer for 2 years before landing her current position at Apple as their Advanced Manufacturing Engineer.

Tesla Apple

If Erin could give a piece of advice to any student, she would tell them not keep their career focus too narrow, but rather stay open-minded and to try every experience, because you never know where you will find your passion! 

Two UBC mechanical engineering students prepare for the autonomous landing platform competition.

Mechanical Engineering

As a student in UBC’s Mechanical Engineering stream, you’ll begin by mastering the fundamentals, building a knowledge base in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, vibrations, heat transfer, controls and design.

Mechanical Engineering

UBC is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people (Musqueam; which means 'People of the River Grass') and Syilx Okanagan Nation. The land has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam and Syilx peoples, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history and traditions from one generation to the next.

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