What’s Going On?
My name is Tom Geiss and I am the creator of Automotive Engineering HQ. My goal is to give you all the information you need to succeed in the field of automotive engineering and help you succeed in an amazing career. I have been an Automotive Engineering now for 7 years and absolutely love it. I want to help others reach their dream of getting into the automotive industry. Here you will find the best insider advice and tips to help you to learn how to become an automotive engineer and how to put your career on the fast track!
How I Started Out
I graduated from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY – A tiny, incredibly cold college town. When I was up in my college ice palace, I knew that wanted to get into the automotive field because I had always been a huge fan of Top Gear, NASCAR (Yes, NY has its rednecks too) and Gran Turismo. What I didn’t know was what automotive engineering involved, what I needed to do to get into the field, or even what I would be doing when I became one. After college, I moved down to Greenville, SC to get out of the cold. What I didn’t realize though was that I stumbled into one of the biggest automotive regions in the country (probably second only to the Detroit area). The Greenville area had Michelin, Bridgestone, Leer, and biggest of all – the BMW Spartanburg plant.
I eventually found a job at an automotive bearing company. Instantly I was overwhelmed about all the specifics of the automotive industry, and even though I had a good mechanical education, I felt like I didn’t know anything. I was in an incredibly fast paced world with its own culture that I had to get used to. However, I dedicated to learn all I could, and it eventually led me to work for the largest OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the area – BMW. Jumping from a Tier 3 small manufacturer to an OEM behemoth like BMW was quite a leap and the work culture was incredible different. However, whether you are producing 100,000 bearings or 100,000 X5’s the terminology and critical knowledge is still very similar.
Having some fun at BMW
Throughout my career I have had a lot of exposure to the different areas within automotive. I am currently a transmission designer and really love what I do. Looking back, I have moved fairly quickly in my career and never thought I would be where I am by this time, when just several years earlier I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I like what I do, but more than anything I love being a part of such a dynamic field. It’s pretty sweet.
How I can help you
I am not going to pretend to know everything about automotive engineering because that would be impossible. However, I really want to share my experience and help anyone who is interested receive their best shot at succeeding as an automotive engineer. I have had a chance to learn what knowledge is critical for success and focus on what works (plus what doesn’t work). So many of these things I wish I knew when I was just starting out. That is why I really want to help others who have the same passion as I do to succeed in this field.
I am a big fan of the Pareto Principal (also known as the 80/20 Rule). My career has been focused on finding that 20% of all the knowledge and actions I can possibly take – the ones that will lead to the big payoffs in my career. Automotive engineering is a huge field, and I have done my best to simplify the landscape for you into the best methods for achieving your own success. Use the articles as a guide to learn all about the different aspects of automotive. We also have an extensive Automotive Engineering list of terms where you can find all the acronyms and industry terms used in by automotive engineers. I only include information that I know you will come across and will make a large impact on your job.
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I believe this site can be of great use to you, wherever you are in your career. And since I want this site to help as many people as possible, I encourage you to share your stories as well. Go ahead and add to the conversation by leaving a comment after any of my articles. Contact us if you have any questions or suggestions.
Thanks for joining us and best of luck in your pursuit of an exciting automotive engineering career!
-Tommy