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FA L L 2 0 2 5 C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E 7 5 Why is this so important to remember? There can be obstacles and trauma in your future, but if you love your work, you can find that every day is a joy. What skills should young engineers double down on? The first five years of a young engineer's career is the time to acquire skills like TQM, statistical analysis, DOE, formal problem solving, and others I've listed in my book. Some are useful if you want promotions; others will help to solve problems quickly before they impact customers. These other skills will help advance your company's success in the marketplace. My suggestion is for you to read my book and decide for yourself which skills feel most important. What intangible skills are you looking for in the next generation? I look for someone who displays a high level of curios- ity, wants to make a contribution to the industry, has a variety of interests, and is willing to do what it takes to get a job done correctly. They must be dedicated to the cause. Everyone is excited about AI technology. How do you think it will change the fundamentals of learning? I am not sure. AI certainly is a tool to be mastered. My hope is that it will make many tasks or skills easier to accomplish. If it lessens the need to learn the funda- mentals of science or engineering, then it will not be that useful for you. Current AI tools can have the ten- dency to "hallucinate," and by that I mean make things up, so you still have to be the master and know what to believe. Who inspired you the most in your career? I had the pleasure of working personally with both Bill Hewlett (on the HP-35 calculator) and David Packard (on the Monterey Bay Aquarium). These men knew exactly how to make you (and themselves) successful while making money and getting the job done. Any additional thoughts you would like to share? I am the result of professionals who not only taught me engineering, but also taught me how to think. I was a for- tunate student of many outstanding teachers (including my father-in-law, who was an engineering professor) who tutored me in the basics of engineering in college. Before that, I went to a high school tucked into the mountains of western Oregon, where we had only 92 students, but it was considered one of the most successful in the state. I had army training, and boy, did they focus on problem-solving. HP also offered many training courses, so I was a continuous student throughout my career. It has served me well and I thank them all. References 1. 24 Essential Skills for Engineers by Happy Holden. B I T S & B Y T E S Dylan Nguyen is an engineering student at Oregon State University.