March is National Engineering Month in Canada—by highlighting our organization’s talent, we hope to inspire future innovators to consider an engineering career. Throughout the month we will be sharing inspiring stories on behalf of our engineering colleagues from locations across the country.

Ever considered a career in engineering? According to Lyall, if you enjoy challenges and learning new concepts, this might be the path for you. “You don’t necessarily seek out a career in engineering—it gravitates towards you, sometimes simply by building with Lego at age five and going from there,” he laughs.

After graduating from Dalhousie University’s undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering program in 2017, Lyall leapt right into a position at General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada as a systems engineer, working on the In-Service Support Maritime Helicopter Program in Halifax. Today, his day-to-day responsibilities involve coordinating and addressing technical obstacles that end customers may be facing, along with continuously delivering new and valuable products—further benefitting the customer in the long run. 

Lyall enjoys working at General Dynamics because of all the opportunities the company has afforded him—including the ability to delve into the entire engineering lifecycle process, having constant access to learning opportunities, and enjoying the flexibility to try new things. 

Of course, though, being an engineer comes with great responsibility—and the iron ring that professional engineers wear is an ongoing reminder of each individual’s commitment to safety.

“My ring embodies the responsibility of each product we deliver. Whether we’re stamping or signing off on a product or design, we are taking a personal responsibility to ensure it is safe.” 

With a growth mindset and a passion for learning, Lyall’s dedication to trying new things can be seen both at and outside of work. At General Dynamics, he consistently builds his knowledge by reading textbooks and researching topics that pique his interest. Meanwhile, in his personal time, he enjoys bike riding on quiet roads. In 2021, by setting and building upon small goals, Lyall successfully tackled an entire 100 kilometres within five months! “It first started off with six kilometres, then 20, then 40, and so on. I eventually saw through the trend of completing the 100 kilometres, which as an accomplishment was super rewarding.” 

With endless opportunities available in the engineering field, Lyall has some advice for future innovators interested in changing the world. “Don’t be intimidated by the workload you’re given—know that you can handle anything, and that it all comes down to personal growth and teamwork.”