Mat Zolnierczyk | From Zero to Engineering Superhero
@notenoughtech shared his unconventional career transition—from an art school graduate to a robotics engineer. At the age of 33, he cycled more than 2,000 kilometers from Poland to the UK. He ultimately chose the path of a maker, discovering a new direction in life through the act of creating. A self-taught, practice-driven journey： Starting from scratch, Mat taught himself electronics and programming, launched a YouTube channel and a website, and learned skills ranging from operations to financial management. While he did not aim to master every field, he consistently moved forward with resilience and structure on his own maker-evolution path. Keys to a successful transition： After eight months of waiting, countless interviews, and moments of self-doubt, Mat finally entered the robotics industry—his dream field, yet a completely unfamiliar one. The leap from an art student to operating a £800,000 medical robot was full of challenges, and he shared several hard-earned lessons:
- Document every idea: Documentation ran through his entire learning and career journey, recording both successes and failures.
- Communication and collaboration: No engineering project can be completed alone. To go further, you must learn from others and work as part of a team.
- Project management: The ability to plan budgets and timelines effectively is often more competitive than technical skills alone.
- Completion matters: Aim high, but build the habit of reaching 100% completion. Even failures should be fully documented and reflected upon.
- Interdisciplinary learning: Continuously learning across fields and disciplines helps you shape a skill set that is uniquely your own.
In closing, Mat offered words of encouragement: imposter syndrome never truly goes away—you must learn to use it as fuel for growth. Trust the diverse skills you have acquired; they are what make you unique. No one is better at “being you” than you are. Most importantly: No matter your age, it’s never too late to change. Living with regret is far more frightening than facing a challenge head-on.
