40 Insights for 40 Years
Forty years ago, Applied Engineering opened its doors. In the decades since, we’ve grown across industries, offices, and client sites — but what’s carried us forward has always been our people. To mark this milestone, we asked employees to share what they’ve learned along the way. The response was honest, funny, and genuinely moving. Here are 40 of the insights that stood out most.
Technical Lessons
“CAD systems vary. I’ve found that experience is the most important part of any CAD journey.” — Todd S.
“Modbus is not a fancy people transport nor an electrical connection.” — Alex K.
“Green is ground.” — Paul S.
“Understanding both the engineering tools and the downstream manufacturing impact… small technical decisions directly influence production efficiency and accuracy.” — Brian H.
“In design, simple and elegant is much preferred over complex.” — Joe G.
“I’ve gained a very practical understanding of how electrical grounding works.” — Eric I.
“Never underestimate the complexity of a part. Even something seemingly simple as a floormat requires time, dedication, and careful attention to detail.” — Michael L.
“I taught myself how to program robot welders with an offline program for a customer.” — Charles A.
“I’ve learned about how DriveWorks integrates with SolidWorks models.” — Jason C.
“Get access to your IT department quickly.” — submitted anonymously
Career & Professional Lessons
“Take chances and go out of your comfort zone.” — Jerry O.
“I’ve discovered I really do enjoy the data-analytics aspect of HR, something I haven’t had the opportunity to delve into before — and I’m excited to build on that experience.” — Sydney B.
“In a professional world where everyone is trying to be the smartest and most innovative employee they can be, just be someone people enjoy working with.” — Noah B.
“Working at different jobs and expanding your skills will be very helpful in your future career.” — submitted anonymously
“Always treat your clients with respect and spend the extra time to make sure your designs will work.” — Dean B.
“Enjoying what you do at work is as important as pay.” — Alex K.
“Get the job done with the tools you have at hand rather than thinking about the tool you don’t have that would do the job more efficiently.” — Scott O.
“Why you should help your lead transform into a leader.” — Garret H.
“Being effective in a technical role requires just as much stakeholder management as it does technical skill.” — Brian H.
“Being able to communicate technical knowledge is pretty much equally as important as having the knowledge to begin with.” — Job S.
Leadership Lessons
“Leadership often means wearing many hats… one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how to bring others into decision-making and make them feel heard and valued. By doing so, you foster trust, respect, and a sense of belonging.” — Sydney B., who credits a colleague as a model for this kind of leadership
“Even when leading people in a task, it’s still good to listen to the people working with you — they might have advice you wouldn’t have thought of.” — submitted anonymously
“Listen more than you speak.” — Alex L.
“Becoming a better listener — being there to listen to other team members’ challenges and frustrations and help them resolve issues.” — Garrett L.
“Sharing knowledge and skills is incredibly rewarding. Remembering our own humble beginnings is a far more effective mindset than apathy and impatience when it comes to fostering stronger, more affluent individuals and teams.” — Michael L.
“Always spend time with factory workers and listen to them. Ask them their opinions.” — Dean B.
“I have learned a little about delegating work and trusting others to complete tasks instead of trying to do everything myself.” — Charles A.
“There’s satisfaction in helping others on projects.” — Jerry O.
“The best way to be a leader is to take the lead — you may mess up, but it’s the only way to gain experience.” — Eric I.
“I have learned to manage small teams on projects of all sizes.” — Nathan F.
Life Lessons
“There are only so many hours in a day, and sometimes our expectations don’t match reality. If I run out of time to finish something, I can let it go and return to it later, rather than grinding away and stressing over it.” — Todd S.
“Talking less benefits you almost always.” — Eric I.
“There isn’t a group of people, inside or outside of work, that has everything figured out. We’re all just trying to figure things out as we go and do the best we can.” — Joe G.
“Take pride in your work. It fuels a passion that will make you a more effective engineer.” — Michael L.
“Applied’s culture and clients allow for an excellent work-life balance. Flexible schedules let me enjoy many of my family’s activities I would otherwise miss.” — Garrett L.
“Setbacks in a project are like setbacks in life — you just have to keep moving forward with determination.” — Scott O.
“There’s no better way to grow than being thrown in the deep end time after time. But you have to be careful not to get too comfortable in the deep end, or else you will forget the intentionality it takes to handle it well.” — Paul S.
“Be patient and compassionate.” — Steve T.
“Never make any decisions out of fear.” — submitted anonymously
“Work/life balance is very important for maintaining mental health and keeping a healthy family.” — Charles A.
A Few More Worth Sharing
Not every insight fit neatly into one of the four categories above — but some deserved a spot anyway:
“Twenty years has gone crazy fast.” — Jerry O., on two decades at Applied
“Pat has a Christmas suit that he wore to the holiday party this year, and I don’t feel enough people saw it.” — Nathan F.
“It’s unspoken, but AE employees tend to have great attitudes and work ethic.” — Alex K.
“The connections within Applied and our clients are the best part of the job. It’s just other people in the community all trying to make a difference together.” — Paul S.
Forty years, forty insights — and countless more we didn’t have room for. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share what Applied has taught them. Here’s to the next 40.
Catch up on past articles in the 40th Anniversary series.