Meredith Westafer
Tesla
Sparks, NV USA
"You have to take a lot of steps in different directions before you figure out where you want to go and what the right fit is for you. If you don’t see what the end goal is, maybe it’s because it’s in a direction you’re not looking yet."
Career Roadmap
Meredith's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
When I started at Tesla, there were about 20 people on the team and we were working out of trailers. It was a huge leap of faith to leave home and come out to Nevada to work for Tesla. People definitely thought I was crazy for doing it. They respected Tesla but didn't necessarily have a lot of confidence in the company's ambitions from the outside. It was an interesting experience but we have a can-do attitude at Tesla, so I've always been excited to work here despite skepticism from others.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
University of South Florida
Graduate Degree
Engineering Management
University of South Florida
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I loved horseback riding as a child and hoped I could do it for a living when I got older, but I eventually realized that I wouldn’t be able to make a substantial living doing that.
2.
I knew when I was in high school that I wanted to go into engineering because I really enjoyed my math classes, but I thought that I would pursue electrical engineering.
3.
After taking my first circuits class in college, I realized electrical engineering wasn’t for me—I changed my major to industrial engineering after gaining more insight about it from a professor.
4.
I started my career as an industrial engineering intern at a grocery store—I was involved with the time study aspect of production while evaluating the packaging process of various foods.
5.
I wanted to work somewhere that was energy-conscious and “green,” so I moved on to work in production planning for LED manufacturing when LED light bulbs were a new technology.
6.
From there, I moved to fiberglass mat manufacturing, which gave me further experience working with people and machinery—I also gained supply chain experience while I was there.
7.
Now I’m a senior industrial engineer for Tesla, helping to design the world’s best factories—my path wasn’t exactly linear, but I use every side of manufacturing and production that I’ve learned.
8.
In addition to my passion for the field, engineering has given me the financial stability to be able to afford to keep riding horses in my free time!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Friends:
Why did you move away from home to go work in a trailer in the middle of the desert? That's crazy!
How I responded:
When I started at Tesla, there were about 20 people on the team and we were working out of trailers. It was a huge leap of faith to leave home and come out to Nevada to work for Tesla. People definitely thought I was crazy for doing it. They respected Tesla but didn't necessarily have a lot of confidence in the company's ambitions from the outside. It was an interesting experience but we have a can-do attitude at Tesla, so I've always been excited to work here despite skepticism from others.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I work in a male-dominated field and was often the only female in my classes. It would get hard because I'd feel like an outcast and was conscious of the biases. I worked hard to gain confidence and self-assurance and don't let it bother me anymore.