Conversations with a Manufacturing Engineer: Britton Foust

There is vast opportunity in engineering, and I would love to see more diversity which could potentially lead to more collaborative and innovative thought.

The SME community is represented by members from all facets of manufacturing from different manufacturing sectors and across a wide range of industries. Passionate manufacturing professionals working together with common goals will ultimately drive business forward. SME’s role is to bring these individuals together to collaborate, learn from one another, and advance manufacturing.

One initiative SME proudly supports is National Engineers Week (EWeek), which elevates the conversation around the manufacturing skills-gap and the need for skilled workers. EWeek was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951 to celebrate how engineers, technicians, and technologists make a difference in the world. EWeek is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

In celebration of National Engineers Week, SME will be highlighting a few of our members who are doing great work within the manufacturing community. The diversity of our SME members is a testament to our organization’s growing reach within manufacturing and is valuable to the continued success of our association. Our professional members range from manufacturing engineers, practitioners, educators, and researchers all involved in various aspects and levels of manufacturing. The SME Membership team sat down with Britton Foust, Graduate Assistant at Auburn University to discuss his engineering career and experience with SME. Foust has been an SME member since 2016. Currently, he is an active member of the Professional SME Chapter 82 Northern Piedmont and participates as a sitting member on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.

Why did you decide to go into engineering?

"I knew a career in STEM would be a part of my life’s journey. Initially curious about forensics and engineering, I began participating in summer STEM camps at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University while taking advantage of the engineering tech prep pathway at my local high school. Additionally, Dr. G Medical Examiner (television show) caught my eye at the same time as my generation experienced technology evolving from industry 3.0 to now 4.0. I quickly realized working with bodily fluids or the deceased would not be in my favor. It was obvious to me that the most impactful way I could make people’s lives better was through engineering."

What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your career/about the engineering industry?

"A lesson that has remained prevalent throughout my life’s journey is that the world is constantly developing and evolving. Meaning you should never stop learning, growing, and asking questions. Questions like, ‘how can we improve life today so that it is better than yesterday?’ In essence, I believe if it is not broken, do not break it; however, there may be a new solution, the opportunity to pivot on the fly, or idea(s) that can innovate and change the world as we know it today."

What’s the most surprising thing about engineering that you discovered after starting your career?

"This is not necessarily surprising, but instead enjoyable: there are many ways to construct a solution to a challenge or problem. A lot of ingenuity in the world has stemmed from problem solvers and implementors working through ambiguity through trial and error, brainstorming ideas, developing/improving processes, sustainment, and overall being proactive and creative."

What would you like to see in the future in the engineering industry?

"The number of jobs in STEM is projected to grow by 8% by 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With this increase, there are estimated to be approximately 3.5 million jobs left vacant by 2025. I would love to see STEM, and specifically the engineering realm, become more diverse. Approximately 13.7% of engineers are women and 86.3% of engineers are men. Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians, and Alaska Natives make up roughly 32% collectively in the engineering field. There is vast opportunity in engineering, and I would love to see more diversity which could potentially lead to more collaborative and innovative thought."

How has SME Membership helped with your career?

"SME has provided me with a community of like-minded people looking to make an impact on the world even if it is on a small scale. SME has allowed me to network and build relationships with peers, some of whom have more knowledge and wisdom of industries that I can lean on and learn from. I am grateful for SME chapter 082 as the leadership has ensured members feel that they are an integral part of the organization. The more tenured members have also allowed me to lead as I learn and grow in my career and for that I am grateful and I look forward to the continual growth of SME nationally, regionally, and locally."

SME is the only professional organization that represents members from all facets of manufacturing. SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia, and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated, and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. Learn more about SME Membership and how SME can help you advance in your manufacturing career.  With 90 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training, and development, and through the SME Education Foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce, and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing.