Convocation ‘24: Mitchell Morgan, BEng Mechanical Engineering

 

Growing up on a farm just outside Edmonton, Mitchell Morgan had plenty of experience building and fixing things. It goes with the territory. What was unusual, however, was just how keen he was to learn more — to truly understand how things work. 

As a high school student, his skill and interest in mechanics led him to take part in the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), followed by a four-year apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic. He followed his curiosity again and enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering, entering the mechanical engineering co-op stream after his first year. 

Transitioning back to school was demanding and occasionally difficult, but Mitchell leaned on his friends and family for support.

“You have to learn to bend, but not break, and trust the process,” he says. 

Opportunity favours the prepared mind. During his first and second co-op terms with Fieldcore, Mitchell left such a positive impression on his employers, they offered him a job — as soon as he graduated. The respect was mutual, so much so that Mitchell transferred from the co-op program to the traditional, or in Mitchell’s case, the non-traditional path, and graduated a year earlier than expected. He now works full-time for Fieldcore.

“I have been fortunate,’ he says.

Congratulations Mitchell!

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What led you to choose your current area of study, and why the U of A for your studies?

I grew up on a small farm an hour and a half outside of Edmonton, so the University of Alberta was my first choice with it being so close to home, especially with it being ranked so highly for engineering in Canada. From a young age I was always fascinated with how things were put together, and because I grew up on a farm, I also had lots of opportunities to tear things apart. I knew I wanted to go into engineering.

What is one of your favourite memories from your time at the U of A?

It's hard to choose just one, probably all the very late nights on campus doing assignments with all my friends. As well as just the large number of friends I made along the way,

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

My favourite class was definitely MEC E 260 (Mechanical Design I). Being part of the group that brought the Lonely Tractor, our project, to life was something I will never forget.

Did you take on any leadership roles while you were a student? If so, please share your experiences.

I took a leadership role in all my design classes. One of the strengths I have is a strong mechanical background so it was very advantageous to all the projects.

Did you face any significant obstacles or challenges during your program, and if so, how did you respond?

During high school I participated in the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), and this provided me with an amazing opportunity to start a four-year apprenticeship as an industrial mechanic. I spent four years after high school working to complete this apprenticeship and finished with a Red Seal millwright ticket. This was a great opportunity to further develop my hands-on skills, which is extremely valuable. 

Transitioning back to university after four years away from school was very challenging, especially with the demanding nature of first year engineering. It was completely online because of the COVID shutdown, creating even more challenges as I did not get the usual experience of making friends and working through the rigors of first year engineering as a group. After a lot of hard work, as well as a significant amount of struggle, I was fortunate enough to get into my first choice, mechanical engineering in the co-op program [a five-year program which includes up to 20 months of paid work experience].

What advice do you have for current and future students?

Learn to bend but not break, you will go from acing every test in high school to receiving marks you didn't even think were possible. But this is OK, trust the process. Accepting this and learning to move on and manage your time properly will set yourself up to succeed in any engineering program!

How do you plan on celebrating convocation?

With my family. My family was by far my biggest supporter throughout this whole experience. Whether it was back when I decided to quit my job and go back to university, or throughout the constant struggles that are an engineering degree, my family was always by my side and supported me at every turn. For this, I truly am forever grateful to have such amazing parents and brother.

What's next after graduation?

I was fortunate enough to secure a job with one of the companies, Fieldcore, that I worked for during co-op. I will be working all across North America in the power generating sector, working on steam and gas turbines.