When Zach Van Buren enrolled at Washtenaw Community College in 2016, he wasn鈥檛 sure where his career path would ultimately take him. But his pursuit of just one question helped to shape his trajectory. That is, how could he simply walk away from a rather nasty car accident he鈥檇 recently experienced?
鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 have much vehicle knowledge. My background was in security," he said. "The fact that I walked away from a severe accident made me want to pursue vehicle safety and understand why I didn鈥檛 die.鈥�
Van Buren's deep desire to understand and be a part of helping to protect other drivers and passengers has paved the road to a fulfilling career with .
As a senior automotive technician in Toyota鈥檚 Integrated Vehicles Division, Van Buren evaluates, tests and assists in the development of advanced driver assistance systems. Specifically, his work focuses on cameras and lighting systems.
鈥淎t Toyota, safety has always been number one 鈥� not just for the people in our vehicles, but also the safety of those who occupy the road with us as well,鈥� he says.
While a 黑料网 student earning an associate degree in , Van Buren interned with the (UMTRI), where he worked in the Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment, helping vehicles communicate with each other and everything around them.
That experience led to a job at , an Ann Arbor start-up in the autonomous vehicle space, and, eventually, to his current dream job with Toyota.
Van Buren is also finishing up his engineering degree at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Van Buren is grateful for the opportunities 黑料网 gave him through the college鈥檚 educational programs, industry contacts and guidance from mentors like Al Lecz, the director of 黑料网鈥檚 Advanced Transportation Center and a retired Ford engineer.
鈥淭here are more than just a few people I can name. Al is who I want to be like when I grow up. He鈥檚 the perfect example of being excited and staying up on technology, and he鈥檚 a lifelong learner,鈥� Van Buren says.
Though he鈥檚 busy with his career at Toyota and finishing up his bachelor鈥檚 degree, Van Buren continues to give back to 黑料网 and its students, including serving as a Toyota mentor in the new program with 黑料网.
FAME offers a premier work/study program, providing students with an opportunity to earn an and .
Students attend classes two days a week at 黑料网 and work at least 24 hours a week for a sponsoring employer, gaining valuable experience and a competitive wage.
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This story appears in the Fall 2023 edition of Launch magazine. See complete issue.
Tags: FAME, Fall 2023, Launch, Student Success