Returning to the Field

While spending the past 3 years working as a beekeeper, carpenter, and assistant facilities and maintenance manager, I’ve finally buckled down for a return to the engineering world.

During my time away, I’ve learned that I am adaptable, that I thrive when faced with challenges, and that who I am working with is more important than what I am working on.

You might ask, why the change? While on paper it might seem like my work has changed a lot, I found that no matter the application, when I fully apply myself I am met with very similar challenges.

To me, implementing software design patterns in an abstract language is no more challenging than building a cabin, co-managing 200 beehives, or diagnosing a malfunctioning wastewater treatment plant. They all share some surprising similarities, but the real work happens in the approach to solving the unknown.

I didn’t plan to stop engineering for 3 years. I just followed the opportunities as they came. However, this time around I am planning. Right now I’m combining my engineering background with my long-term hobby of tinkering with micro-controllers to become an expert in embedded systems engineering.