Fluid Power graduate enjoys career in engineering

Brooklyn Park, March 10, 2023 – If you ask Kevin Milligan about careers in the Fluid Power industry, he will enthusiastically describe a wealth of opportunities. Milligan earned an associate degree in Hennepin Tech’s Fluid Power Engineering program and currently works as a Application Engineer with Innotek, an engineering design and assembly firm in Maple Grove. We asked him about his first job in the industry since graduation.

Hennepin Tech: You enrolled in Hennepin Tech while working in Information Technology. Tell us about that.

Milligan: I had been working in IT where I didn’t really feel a sense of direction. I was 34-years-old when I decided to pursue a change and enrolled as a student at Hennepin Tech. I graduated in 2022.

Hennepin Tech: You believe very strongly that studying Fluid Power really opens up so many career choices for people because the education provides a depth of understanding. How would you describe that?

Milligan: I was hired from this program into engineering. The opportunities that this program opens up are immense. There is a misperception that you get “wrench jockeys” when someone completes Fluid Power. That could not be further from the truth. You get professionals who understand Fluid Power systems and how they work together. They can listen to a noise and understand what the problem is.

Hennepin Tech: What makes the Fluid Power program at Hennepin Tech unique?

Milligan: What I liked about this program, is that you got introduced to a lot of different stuff in a short amount of time. You could go from welding to engineering design in just a month. You could get as deep as you want to go. Or you could stay broad and learn a little about a lot. With the degree I have from Hennepin Tech and the job that I have now, I have tremendous opportunities ahead.

Hennepin Tech: At the Manufacturing Career Fair, dozens of employers visit campus to interview our students and many students will land their first job as a result of the fair. You recently attended the event as a job recruiter for your company – correct?

Milligan: I really enjoy coming back to campus, meeting the students and seeing the alumni. When I was a student at this event I remember speaking with about a dozen companies. Because of COVID, there were fewer companies that were attending in-person. Even so, I received three job offers and I accepted one of them. That is the company where I work today. The Career Fair was important when I was a student here and I am happy I can give back, even if just a little, now that I am employed in the industry.

Hennepin Tech: What advice would you give to someone considering Fluid Power?

Milligan: If this even remotely interests you – anything mechanical, anything engineering, anything with your hands, this program will introduce you to a ton of stuff and you will find a place that you fit, I guarantee it. I would not have a job in this industry without a degree from Hennepin Tech, not even close.

About Hennepin Technical College

Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College (Hennepin Tech) is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs in the skilled trades and high-demand career fields. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for high-paying employment opportunities.