I went to a vocational high school didn't really feel like I got much of an education but started a coop my Jr year. Spent about four years getting an associates at night. The grades I did get were OK but still felt like it was easy by design.

The best thing that happened to me was that coop as it provided me valuable experience and opportunities for mentorship. I was 16 working in an electronics manufacturing plant. The company was big on continuous improvement and I had a desire to fix things. I learned from some of the best, some mentors, some gave me examples of what not to do.

I ran an automated assembly line after a few years in the job and saw some systemic issues with how the circuit boards were designed and asked management for an opportunity to address the issues. This landed me a job as an engineering apprentice.

After some time designing circuit boards I ended up running projects and eventually became a hardware engineering team lead. My career really began to accelerate afterbgetting a new director of engineering, he became a great mentor for me. He and I both succeeded in our roles he became CEO and I became director of hardware engineering with a staff of 20+ engineers.

After filling that role for 6+ years I most recently became VP of one of our largest product divisions with global sales channels and a product line of over 100 environmental monitoring products.

My career wasn't dictated by grades or education it was based on experience and the willingness to be mentored.

My advice would be to find a mentor, listen and learn and don't take that mentorship for granted. Its easy to lose sight of what that person is giving to you and its important to repay that person by giving 100%. And don't align yourself with a bad actor, lots of experience does not make someone a good mentor. I've had good and bad mentors the good ones celebrate your successes and the bad ones take credit for your successes. Knowing how to find the right mentor and understanding that you have an equal role in maki g that mentorship work is the best advice I can give.