What is your current job?
I am Vice President of Aluminum Mold & Pattern. We manufacture aluminum tooling and our main products are molds for automotive interior parts like seats, headrests and armrests. Our operations include an aluminum foundry, CNC machining, welding and assembly.
What made you choose a career in Engineering?
I liked math and science in high school plus my Dad was an Engineer and encouraged me. I have always like figuring out how things work and how things are made.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
I love working with a group of people to fix a problem. I love identifying and implementing ways to improve a process. I love using new technology to make an existing way of doing something more efficient or safer. I love when an employee I have mentored excels and moves to take on more responsibility.
How do you celebrate National Engineering Week?
Hmmm, I didn’t realize there was celebrating involved. I will have to rectify that.
What advice do you have for young women who hope to pursue a career in Engineering? There are rewarding Engineering opportunities for all types of interests so before you choose an Engineering discipline, spend a little time thinking about the kind of work environment you might be happy in, at least for the first few years of your career. Are you open to working outside on a job site? Could you be comfortable working in a factory? Are you a big city person, or could you be happy living in a smaller mining community?
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Sue Beamish is a Professional Engineer and is Vice President and Owner of Aluminum Mold & Pattern Ltd.
Sue attended Queen’s University, majoring in Civil Engineering, and later received an MBA from the University of Toronto. She started her career as a site engineer with the Ontario Ministry of Transport, working on the construction of Highway 404. She then moved to a position with Dow Chemical as a product development engineer in the Styrofoam insulation division.
About 15 years ago, an entrepreneurial bent led Sue and a partner to invest in a small tooling and machining company. Aluminum Mold & Pattern has grown to become a global supplier of aluminum tooling to the automotive, aerospace and consumer packaging industries with 150 employees and operations in Toronto and Saltillo, Mexico. Sue provides corporate leadership, but also retains a strong interest in the day to day operations of the company, working with her team to troubleshoot the many technical challenges that arise in a production environment.
Sue and her husband Brian live in Toronto with their two sons. Sue is an avid runner, squash player and community volunteer.
