Drake Baker

Assist in implementing new and upgrading pre-existing quality procedures at the facility. Design, test, and validate new fixturing for quality checks. Work with all departments of the business to reduce scrap and uphold the "Quality in everything we do" initiative. Review and create quality documentation and prints to ensure consistent and efficient quality practices throughout the facility.

 

The labs at Purdue allowed for hands-on experience that many people lack in today's world. Almost every employer I have spoken to talks about how important this experience is. With how fast the world is moving in regards to engineering, there is little time to accommodate hands-on training for someone who may be shy or un-versed in this activity. The pure magnitude of labs during the MET degree was time-consuming, but it was worth giving you this experience and pushing you out of your comfort zone. 

 

After high school, I attended Ivy Tech and entered the trades as a robotic weld technician. After some time, I decided that I wanted to further my education at Purdue and pursue an MET degree. This was the hardest decision of my life, and without the support of my parents, Daryl and Davina Baker, and (at the time of this entry) fiance Rachel Conyer, I do not believe I would have made it all the way through. The unending amount of support from these people has allowed me to not only graduate this year but also get married, buy a house, and accept an engineering role at an amazing company months before I graduate. Having this support has given me peace of mind about my future, and I have a plethora of things to look forward to in life. I will never forget what these people mean to me and what they have done for me to lay this foundation. 

 

The most significant classes in my Purdue career were toward the end of my degree. MET 426 and 349 showcased ideas and concepts that helped ignite my passion for engineering. MET 426 allowed me to explore engines and take a deep dive into how they work and how to enhance them. This class has become incredibly applicable to my new job, as Fleece makes performance parts for vehicles and is very interested in this kind of knowledge. Being a non-traditional student made class scheduling difficult, and a co-op wth Rolls-Royce did not help either, pushing back my graduation even farther. Thanks to Professor Jason Ostanek, I could take this class while taking a prerequisite class in tandem, which is not typically possible. I believe this class will be critical to my success at Fleece. MET 349 with Professor Mark French was instrumental in re-lighting my passion for hands-on work. Working and putting effort into making a guitar helped me return to my roots from when I worked in the trades and helped show why I chose to go back to school and pursue higher education. My new job kept me from returning to make a second guitar with Professor French, but the opportunity and possibility to help show how passionate he is about supporting students and their quest for craftsmanship. 

 

The most significant project was the guitar from MET 349. I took this project very seriously and worked diligently inside and outside of class to ensure it was exactly what I wanted. I have always wanted to learn music theory and how instruments work and are played. Correlating this with the woodworking of making the guitar helped hold my interest and allow me to create something I am truly proud of. I was very honored to have this opportunity during my time at Purdue.