Daniel Riak Mach, P.Eng

Current city: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Year arrived in Canada: 2008

School(s): University of Manitoba, The University of Winnipeg

Academic program(s): BSc. Mechanical Engineering, Masters In Management

Occupation/profession: Mechanical Engineer

1.      What inspired you to pursue engineering of all the academic programs that were available to you?

Well, career choices are influenced by inspiration, and my inspiration came from my personal passion as a young boy. I was always crafty and curious about things and how to design them. I used to be a ‘mahandis’ of fixing watches, radios, and small electronics.

2.      Would you say personal discipline and motivation were the main factors in your academic success or would you credit strong family support? Inherent intellectual aptitude goes without saying.

Self-discipline is paramount in academic success. This is because most new students coming to study in Canada are mostly on their own without close family support and guidance. Most have to work and go to school concurrently; this takes a lot of discipline and time management skills.

3.      Can you tell me a bit about your career path and what led you to the role you are in today?

My engineering career started when I was in my third year of engineering program. I had an opportunity to enroll in a co-op program at U of M and got my first co-op placement with the City of Edmonton as a student project engineer. I later got another co-op opportunity with the Government of Nunavut in Iqaluit. When I finished my degree, I went back home to visit my family. I came back and applied to several places and the City of Winnipeg was one of the places that called me back for an interview. Given my co-op experiences with municipal governments, I was one of the successful candidates for the position.

4.      What are some of the biggest challenges you faced getting to where you are today and if any, current day-to-day challenges and setbacks?

The balance between supporting family back home, supporting myself here and focusing on my academic success was quite a challenge.

5.      What does a workday look like for you and what’s something that would surprise ordinary people about your day-to-day work?

Municipal work setting may be different from most business organizations, most of our projects are tendered out and my typical workday would be coordinating a lot of these projects between consultants, contractors and other departments & branches involved in the projects.

6.      Do you have a mentor? If so, how have they helped you in your career?

I have a mentor and I always try to find one whenever possible in any setting, be it academic or work. Mentor is not necessarily the person with the answers you are looking for but the person who has the experience to give you direction. I have been fortunate to find people in my industry who are willing to share their experiences with me.

7.      What are the most vital steps someone should take to break into and succeed in your industry? 

There is no blue print to success, however commitment does not fail you most of the time. Be determined and dedicated and you will succeed in any industry.

8.      What’s your favorite thing about your job or industry? In other words, what fuels your enthusiasm and helps you get out of bed on a Monday morning?

I’m a people person and always energized by the impact of my work on city residents.

9.      Is your racial profile helping or hindering your professional growth? That is, if race is a factor at all.

Well, racial discrimination is real but at my level, the kind of profiling I get is called micro aggression, it is subtle and only felt when you are keen enough to notice it.

10. Looking back, did you envision this is where you would be when you were in high school? What do you know now that you wished you had known before you started your career?

I had always wanted to be a Mechanical Engineer from high school, more specifically a Design Engineer. I was hoping to be designing stuff but right now I’m more of a Municipal Engineer, I barely design anything. If I was to start all over, I would have done a diploma program in engineering, work in the industry and then finish a bachelor’s degree program as I continue to work.