ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JULY 2023
Tyrone Jacobs grew up in a poverty-stricken environment in Toledo. He was raised by a single mother and incarcerated father. Growing up he saw gang violence, drugs, and crime including police chases, fights, and guns on a daily basis. However, Tyrone defied all odds creating a better path for himself becoming an example for his younger sister. He attended Toledo Academy of Engineering for high school. Later, he graduated from The University of Toledo with a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Today, he is working in the aerospace and aviation industry as an Aerospace EEE (electrical, electronic and electromechanical) Component Engineer at L3Harris Technologies at the brilliantly young age of 29. He is responsible for providing component expertise on space and other high-reliability programs. He also tests data received from manufacturers/ test laboratories for compliance, purchase order requirements, and more. Tyrone’s journey is remarkable and very inspirational. At an early age, he became the master of his fate, breaking generational curses on his path of resilience, making him the epitome of an Uprising Stalwart.
What do you enjoy most about engineering?
I enjoy changing the world by solving the world’s most challenging problems. Although challenging some days, it is gratifying to know my work is significant to how society lives there day to day life. Engineering has opened my mind to what it means to dream big, and to shoot for the stars. Most importantly, showing the next generation that STEM careers are a very achievable goal.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I will be close to becoming a senior or staff engineer of aerospace and aviation component engineering. I hope to earn a Masters’ of Business Administration along with my Project Management Professional and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certifications. I hope that my passion for public speaking has transformed into a career where I am making 6 figures traveling across the country delivering my messages.
How do you balance your professional and personal life?
It’s always been hard for me to balance my professional and personal life. My ambition makes it difficult to create the balance. However, I don’t want to work so hard that I forget to take care of myself. Doing things I enjoy keeps life in perspective. I understand taking breaks from the day-to-day grind is needed as long as it is not compromising my work ethic.
What has been your greatest failure and how did you
grow from it?
I do not believe in failure. You succeed or you learn a lesson from the experience. I have made plenty of mistakes learning tons of lessons along the way. However, I still do not feel there’s a lesson that eclipses another. All my learned lessons have molded me into the man I have become.
What has been your greatest accomplishment and why?
My greatest accomplishment is coming from poverty and being where I am today. Many people do not make it out of the environment I grew up. It is considered a blessing to make it to 25 years old where I am from. Most of my childhood friends are dead or serving life sentences in prison. So I feel extremely accomplished and blessed that I am not another statistic.
Would you consider yourself successful?
I believe society would view me as successful. However, I personally do not view myself that way. I have an unsatisfiable work drive to achieve. I have never felt comfortable or complacent in my career. My past is my constant driving force to not get high on praise or destroyed by discouragement. Rather than successful, I am grateful and humbled to be where I am today.
What advice would you give to aspiring engineers?
First, you need to understand why you want to be an engineer. It’s very easy to get caught up in the post-graduation salaries and compensation packages. However, if you don’t know why you’re pursuing engineering, it will be a long and hard journey. Make sure you are building a network because oftentimes opportunities come by who you know. In college, your courses will be difficult and you will spend a lot of time studying when you want to relax or have fun. However, your reward will be greater than the difficulty of your coursework if you stay committed.