Mario Gomez
Fort Wayne Metals
Fort Wayne, IN USA
"The biggest thing about being a leader is you want to set up your team to succeed not for the sake of glory, but for the sake of the people themselves."
Career Roadmap
Mario's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I can't say I'd recommend getting a degree in psychology to do my work. I'd recommend a mechanical engineering technology degree if you wanted to attend school first. However, you can also find employers that will pay for schooling. So you can work in this field without the educational background up front and pursue it after. That way, you can see if it's the right fit and then potentially work to become an engineer or engineer technician, or pivot to something else if the fit isn't right.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Psychology
Indiana Tech
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Research and Development Technician:
Bachelor's Degree: Mechanical Engineering Technology
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I was unsure of what I wanted to pursue as a career, so I took a break after high school to think about it while working at a grocery store.
2.
A friend’s mom worked in administration at Indiana Tech, so I toured the campus, fell in love with the engineering department, and decided to enroll.
3.
As school went on, I realized that human behavior and interactions captivated me more than engineering, so I switched my major from engineering to psychology.
4.
After college, I struggled to figure out what I really wanted to do—I bounced around retail positions, tried my hand at manufacturing, and even worked as a restaurant cook.
5.
After a huge personal loss, I really took a hard look at my life and career—it pushed me to pursue a role at Fort Wayne Metals, starting in the shape set department.
6.
I moved to lead roles across various departments, mastering the large and minute complexities of metal production.
7.
I was selected for a challenging role in research and development, focusing on innovative medical and aerospace materials.
8.
Now, I balance the autonomy of research and development projects with collaborative efforts, constantly learning and adapting.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I lost two best friends within 10 days of each other. The loss caused my to take a hard look at my life and career. It ultimately pushed me to pursue the career I have now.