Skills learned early on in your career may still be relevant today

For those of us with long careers in engineering and technology, it’s easy to look back on the early years and write them off as outdated. But during a recent visit to Scott Technology in Dunedin, New Zealand—where I began my engineering journey—I was reminded how much of that early experience still matters. Scott’s design office in Dunedin now houses around 30 engineers, many focused on software and vision systems—a sharp contrast to the mechanical-oriented team I was part of decades ago. Yet, walking through the workshop, I saw how essential many of the same skills are today. I even ran into my first manager—retired now, but just as sharp and funny as ever.

Key Takeaways from the Visit:

1. Tools don’t replace people
   Today’s software accelerates tasks and offers better visual feedback—but it’s still the engineer who applies judgment and makes the choices.

2. Whole-system thinking is timeless
   I once proudly designed a large industrial machine and accounted for every detail eg 3D routing all its hydraulic hoses and fittings. My manager simply asked: “How does the engineer’s arm and wrench fit in there?” A lesson I never forgot.

3. Ownership matters
   Back then, design engineers weren’t just behind a desk—we designed the machine, ordered the parts, received them, and were present on the shop floor during machining parts, assembly, right through to trial commissioning. Problem solving was direct human to human collaboration. It taught accountability at every stage of a machine’s lifecycle.
   
   Looking ahead, the tools may be smarter, but the core human skills—systems thinking, collaboration, communication, ownership—are just as essential now as they were then.
   I'd love to hear from others...
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