Kavit Antani
Assembly Plant Manager
BMW
Greer, SC USA
“It’s a setback only if you call it a setback. I call a setback opportunity.”
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By Roadtrip NationKavit Antani
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I was born and raised in India.
Growing up, I enjoyed building things and had a mechanical inclination, so I gravitated toward robotics and mechatronics clubs in high school.
I earned my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Mumbai in India.
I spent a year working as an engineer in India before moving to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from Auburn University.
After graduating, I spent 11 years working in the manufacturing industry for DeWalt Power Tools building things like circular saws and drills for professional home builders.
One of my professors from Auburn recommended me for a working Ph.D. program with BMW at Clemson University, so I pursued a Ph.D. in automotive engineering while doing research at BMW.
After earning my Ph.D., I continued to work for BMW as a quality engineer for the X5 and X6 powertrain assembly.
I worked my way up through various positions in assembly to my current role now as the assembly plant manager for the BMW X3 and X4 sports activity vehicles.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Mechanical Engineering
University of Mumbai
Mechanical Engineering
University of Mumbai
Graduate
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Auburn University
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Auburn University
Doctorate
Automotive Engineering
Clemson University
Automotive Engineering
Clemson University
Career
Assembly Plant Manager
I lead the assembly of the X3 and X4 sports activity vehicles.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Engineering
Building Things
Day to Day
I start my day by walking through the shop floor for the X3 and X4 vehicles to get a feel for how production was on the night shift and how we expect production to go on the day shift. Then I have production meetings for any updates or issues. After that, I do a coaching round where I interact with section leaders to help with problem-solving. Then I have meetings until lunch. I spend the rest of the day planning for future projects. Finally, I do one more plant walk before I leave for the day.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
To work in operational leadership in automotive manufacturing, I recommend either earning a degree in engineering or business administration. With an engineering degree, you'll have a strong technical background and can learn the business side on the job—and vice versa with a business degree. You can also pursue a two-year degree from a vocational school and enter into the industry as a tech scholar. I also recommend finding relevant internships to gain more hands-on insight into the industry.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Bachelor
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Graduate
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Industrial & Systems Engineering
Doctorate
Automotive Engineering
Automotive Engineering
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I didn't do that right. I should've done that differently."
