Whirlpool Marion’s Director of Engineering Ethan Ott was inspired as a high school student in Clyde, Ohio by a visit made by a college engineering professor to pursue a career in engineering. Today, Ott is paying it forward, sharing his educational and career journey, insights, and real-world manufacturing experience in the classroom with an eager group of engineering students at The Ohio State University at Marion.
The visit, held in the campus’s state of the art Science & Engineering Building, took place as part of the campus’s Engineering Seminar Series, which brings together engineering and manufacturing professionals with aspiring students in this field of study.
“I was in my high school chemistry class when a college professor came to visit and described chemical engineering to our class. After that visit is when I decided that I wanted to pursue chemical engineering in college.”
According to Ott, he grew up always watching the Buckeyes and thinking he would one day attend Ohio State. Once he decided that engineering was his future career path, he knew he wanted to apply to Ohio State based on the prominence of the engineering program.
Ott came to Whirlpool on a cooperative education (co-op) rotation and found the experience rewarding and credits it for guiding his future career.
“The joy I had with the culture,” said Ott, “the freedom to be creative and solve problems, and the fast-paced environment that comes with manufacturing,” he said, is what attracted him to build a career with Whirlpool.
Ott moved around a few times to the Whirlpool plants in Clyde and Marion and was then offered the engineering director role in Marion. He knew it was something that he absolutely wanted to do, and he’s been serving in the role for almost a year now.
In addition to providing students a real-world example of the power of an Ohio State engineering degree in action, Ott’s advice to the group of engineering technology and pre-engineering majors emphasized the benefits of cooperative education.
“Co-op, co-op, co-op,” Ott said. “See the industry and get hands-on experience. For me, that was the best thing I could have done because it allowed me to see different sides of engineering and how I could apply what I was learning in school before I had the pressure of finding a job.”
“Also, utilize engineering career services. Ohio State has an excellent service for students to connect with faculty, alumni, industry leaders, as well as resume building and interview prep work,” Ott added.
Dr. Golrokh Mirzaei, an assistant professor of computer science engineering and coordinator for engineering programs at Ohio State Marion, organizes the engineering seminar series.
Mirzaei invites senior engineering professionals from local industries to share their college experience, including the projects they performed with the industries as part of their learning experience, paid/unpaid co-op and summer work programs; and most importantly how they applied college learning experience in progressing through many ladders to achieve the senior position they currently hold.
“Senior leaders, like Ethan Ott, motivate our engineering students in pursuing engineering education at small institutions like Ohio State Marion and provide many valuable skills that help our students to achieve better employment upon graduation,” said Mirzaei.
“Our engineering seminars also help our students learn how to get short term employment and co-op opportunities when needed,” she added. “We appreciate our local engineering colleagues and the university administration for their support.”
In addition to in-class seminars to assist students taking part in the campus’s newest degree program, the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, which is only available on Ohio State’s regional campuses, Ohio State Marion has reached out to local manufacturing companies, like Whirlpool Marion to serve on its Engineering Partnership Advisory Board.
Ott thinks partnerships like these are important because it connects industry and academics.
“It allows academics to understand how the industry is changing, the challenges they are facing, and the needs for engineering,” he said. “It also allows the industry to see and understand the experiences and education the students are having and will be coming into industry with.”
Ott felt students considering pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology at the local campus would be well served well be the new program because of the move toward automation at many manufacturing companies across the country.
Ohio State Marion recently forged a partnership with Tri-Rivers where high-tech BSET equipment will be housed and space will be shared which will benefit both Tri-Rivers and Ohio State Marion students, and eventually Marion Technical College students. Funding for this high-tech equipment was made possible by the Marion Community Foundation, Ohio State Marion and Tri-Rivers.
“Right now, we hear a lot about Industry 4.0, ‘smart factories,’ and the need for automation. I believe the BSET program prepares students for entering the industry specifically to enhance those areas,” Ott said.
“Engineers are advanced problem solvers and with the world always facing technical problems,” he said, “the need will be there for engineers to come up with solutions.”
Ohio State Marion Director of Development and Community Relations, Cathy Gerber saw Whirlpool and other industry partners contribution to the burgeoning engineering program as invaluable.
“Whirlpool is a valued industry partner to Ohio State Marion, said Gerber. “They provided input which helped design the curriculum for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology degree program. They also collaborate with us to provide BSET lab instructors, mentors, and co-op placements for engineering students.
“As mentioned previously, Whirlpool serves on an Engineering Partnership Advisory Board for the BSET program and will provide a capstone project for senior year BSET students,” she said.
“Connecting our students with real world manufacturers is important in the educational process of becoming a successful engineer,” Geber echoed. “Hearing firsthand from top industry leaders provides invaluable insights for students as they continue to evaluate their future career paths and begin to navigate the world of real engineering employment.”