In 1919, General Motors bought into the concept of Work/Study higher education by purchasing the Flint School of Automotive Trades, and eventually grew it into an engineering school that was described as “…the West Point of the automotive industry”. Over the course of time, about a quarter of all general Motors technical and management personnel, including several presidents and vice presidents, came from that institution, which became General Motors Institute (GMI). As you read this book, you will discover some little-known facts about the genesis, growth and current status of this prestigious school, and how its relationship with General Motors changed over the years.How did that partnership begin? What was it like to attend and graduate from that school, which was revered enough that undergraduates were readily accepted for graduate studies by Harvard and MIT? What is the status of the school today?This story is not just about going to school. It encompasses all the author’s experiences and external influences, including his work in many departments at the world’s largest automotive lighting supplier, Guide Lamp Division of General Motors. As you read, you will also encounter many of his friends and acquaintances from work, church and the community as they all experience strikes, work stoppages, race riots, fun vacations, love, marriage, children and family deaths.The Engineer Factory retells the struggles, joys and disappointments of this experience that occurred in a turbulent time; the 1960s. The author attended GMI from 1963 through 1967 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Since GMI is a cooperative education institution, that experience also involved working at a General Motors manufacturing facility. A short history of General Motors and GMI is included in this narrative, as well as a cursory analysis of what happened to both of those institutions over time, including the growth and influence of the unions on the ultimate destiny of Guide Lamp as well as several other General Motors divisions.