Introduction
Hello. My name is Adam Ulemek and I am about to finish the 3rd year of the Mechanical Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Toronto. This portfolio was created under course requirements for MIE397 - Design Portfolio. The objective of this portfolio is to show through example the development of those skills required for ones desired career path.
My long term goal, and desired career path, is to be a self-employed design engineer. I see myself as an individual with those skills required to start and run a successful business; I consider myself a self-motivating, creative, independent risk taker with strong leadership skills, a progressive work ethic and a keen eye for improvement.
My long term goal, and desired career path, is to be a self-employed design engineer. I see myself as an individual with those skills required to start and run a successful business; I consider myself a self-motivating, creative, independent risk taker with strong leadership skills, a progressive work ethic and a keen eye for improvement.
Fundamental to the pursuit of self-employment is merely an idea. This idea can be anything: a product; a process; it need not even be tangible; it can be an algorithm or a new way of doing something; low tech or cutting edge, it doesn't matter. However, the development of this idea requires many key skills; creativity and analytical skills to name a few.
My goal for this portfolio is to demonstrate my application of those skills required of any self-employed design engineer. In this portfolio, I will be using three project based examples which illustrate a diverse amount of skills crucial for an aspiring design engineer and entrepreneur.
I will begin by introducing a project undertaken in my 4th mechanical engineering term for the course Mechanics of Solids. (click here for Item 1) For this project, I took on the role of project manager and was also the leader on the analytical design sub-group. Using this example, I will illustrate the development of my analytical and leadership skills.
Leadership skills are crucial for any entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur; you need to be able to set the example, provide encouragement, and provide constructive criticism all the while displaying respect. Further, one must keep in mind that leadership is not simply a position, it is a moral authority. Using my first example, I will demonstrate how I took the role as leader not by chance, but due to the collective will of the team.
My second portfolio entry (Click here for Item 2) will demonstrate my application of a different type of skill: creativity. Using a project for a third-year design course as an example, I will demonstrate how my engineering creativity was used to come up with a design which placed in the top ten of a design competition.
Creativity is paramount for an aspiring design engineer. Without creativity, one would struggle to come up any meaningful idea or an efficient solution to design problems. Much of our engineering degree comes down to complex mathematics and lab reports, understandably, because teaching someone to come up with a unique solution is very tough. Through my second example, I will demonstrate that my “outside of the box” creativity can be used to develop a top-tiered design.
Finally, I will introduce a project which demonstrates a wider range of skills which include: time management, leadership, ingenuity, creativity and conflict resolution. For this project, I along with two others, were management for a 24 person group. (Click here for Item 3)
Conflict resolution is an attribute which all skilled leaders must master. In order to provide a working environment in which ideas and people can thrive, a manager must encourage a supportive and collaborative atmosphere. Due to the nature of the project and the large team size, I took it upon myself to actively resolve conflicts in a professional and efficient manner.
