Graduating from the University of Utah’s College of Engineering is just the first step to a lifelong career as an engineer. There is much to learn about the next phase in securing a job and successfully navigating through the work.
That’s why the University of Utah’s College of Engineering puts on its monthly “Lunch with an Engineer” event in which engineering students are invited to sit in with an engineering professional to learn about working in industry. This year’s series begins with its first lunch on Sept. 12 at noon in the Warnock Engineering Building Eccles Boardroom, room #1850, 72 S. Central Campus Drive. The lunch is free for students.
The first event will feature Darrol Fairbanks, supplier quality engineer supervisor with the Salt Lake City office of L3 Technologies. As the supervisor, Fairbanks runs the group responsible for making sure all parts from suppliers meet the company’s workmanship standards. L3 is a defense contractor that develops communications systems for the U.S. military. Fairbanks will discuss how he got his job and offer advice on working as a professional engineer.
Morgan Boyack, academic program coordinator for the College of Engineering, will hold two of the lunches in September and November and one in October and hopes these will be enlightening meetings for students working toward their careers.
“This is a great opportunity for engineering students to learn about some of the companies that employ engineers and the innovative technologies they work on,” he said. “These lunches will really be eye-opening experiences for students.”
Here is the schedule for this semester’s “Lunch with an Engineer” series. All will be held in the Warnock Engineering Building’s Eccles Boardroom at noon:
Sept. 12 – Darrol Fairbanks, L3 Technologies
Sept. 27 – Clayton Burningham, Reaveley Engineers and Associates
Oct. 17 – Cameron Kergaye, Utah Dept. of Transportation
Nov. 1 – Lucas Timmins, U. of U. bioengineering assistant professor
Nov. 16 – Nikolai Halverson, Draper City