By Vaughn College   |   July 21, 2017

At 23 years old, Vaughn College graduate Terry Cetoute (’16) says his degree in mechatronic engineering and experience at the College helped him blend his passions to land the job he has today.

Growing up in Miami, Fla., Cetoute recalls working closely with his father, from whom he learned carpentry and discovered how things were built, and explained how he always had an interest in engineering. It wasn’t until one of his high school teachers encouraged him, however, to pursue either the fields of engineering or aviation that he seriously considered pursuing a degree.

“I’ve always been adventurous and up for a challenge. That’s when I began searching for the perfect college to fit my needs and personality,” Cetoute explained. He discovered Vaughn and said he knew the College would be the launching pad to his future. He started in mechanical engineering but soon turned his sights to mechatronic engineering.

“I joined the robotics team in my freshman year and was hooked,” said Cetoute. He was elected vice president of the team and remained in that position for the next two years—and that team ultimately won the world championship title at the 2016 VEX Worlds Competition. He went on to explain how the mechatronic engineering program molded his interests and gave him a foundation to build on. “The computer programming aspect to the mechatronic engineering program was instrumental in positioning me as a strong candidate for a job,” Cetoute said. “Since mechatronic engineering involves mechanical, electrical and computer engineering, I received a well-rounded education to put me ahead of other job candidates.”

Student life at Vaughn played a major role in his time there. “My love for sports and the outdoors gave me an outlet to explore the extracurricular activities offered at Vaughn,” Cetoute said. He joined the tennis and cross-country teams to nurture his athletic side and says the athletics department at Vaughn was welcoming and helped him keep sports in his life while he earned his degree. “I definitely made the most of my experience living on campus.”

Regarding the professors, Cetoute claims the faculty was the core of his success at Vaughn. “The professors were great at balancing education and being mentors to the students,” he says. “They were always ready to make time for us and made the material relatable so we could understand how it applies to the field.” He explored other resources at the College and visited the career services department for help with his resume. “I began researching jobs prior to graduation and needed to build a strong resume,” Cetoute said. “They did a great job helping me outline my information and putting it all together.” Prior to graduation, he put his resume to work and applied for a job at JTEKT Toyoda Americas Corporation, a top machine tool service and supplier for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, South America and Latin America.

Cetoute currently works as a field service technician for Toyoda in Wixom, MI. “We provide the programming and machine tools used mainly for the automotive industry,” he proudly states. His passions for the outdoors, exploration and travel have come full circle with his new position. “It takes me to new places, where I put my knowledge to work in the field,” he says. “I couldn’t ask for a more perfect job.”

Learn more about Vaughn College’s Mechatronic Engineering Degree.