Terrance Harrell grew up in a family of tinkerers. Some of his earliest childhood memories are of working on cars, RVs and motorcycles with his uncle and cousins in their garage.
Terrance Harrell grew up in a family of tinkerers. Some of his earliest childhood memories are of working on cars, RVs and motorcycles with his uncle and cousins in their garage. “It was all about figuring out how things go together so we could pull them apart,” he says.
His love of building and curiosity for how things work led Terrance to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, where he was exposed to a broad range of disciplines – from transportation to robotics to aerospace and defense. While at Purdue, Terrance was connected to an internship with Allison Transmission, the world’s largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions used in vehicles such as fire engines, ambulances, school buses and military tanks.
“My internship showed me what real manufacturing is,” Terrance says. He was impressed by Allison’s state-of-the-art facilities and amazed by how machines, technology, and people worked together in perfect harmony. “I’m really process-driven, so I love to see how things are made from start to finish and learn about how every part [of the manufacturing process] has a purpose.”
Today, Terrance is a Central Manufacturing Engineer at Allison Transmission’s global headquarters in Indianapolis. “I’m not sure what to expect each day, but that’s exciting – there are always new and complex problems to solve,” he says. He says that above all else, the ability to analyze and develop creative solutions to challenges is the most important skill to have for a successful career in advanced manufacturing. He also cites his participation in Toastmasters as one the most helpful things he did to learn how to clearly communicate his point of view on the job.
Two nights a week, Terrance attends classes toward his master’s in business administration, which Allison is largely paying for though a program that brings professors from the University of Indianapolis to its global headquarters. In addition to supporting his ongoing education, Terrance says the opportunity to travel the world as a major perk of working at Allison. His job has taken him on several trips to Europe, where he’s seen where the machines, tools and parts that Allison uses are built.
"Our work is literally driving the world forward,” Terrance says. “It’s meaningful to know how my work is having an impact on the end user.”
When he isn’t making transmissions that help move people and goods around the world, you won’t be surprised to find Terrance tinkering with his Harley Davidson motorcycle, hitting the gym or playing with his dog.
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