#56 Western Engineering to Tesla to Meta - Michael Avrakh - Part 3 Artwork

Kee to Success: Student Careers Guide

Mr Kee is a high school teacher who worked in the automotive industry as a project manager/engineer. He believes Careers is the most important subject you can take because there's no other course that will change your quality of life like knowledge that it gives you. Through Mr Kee's 14 year career as an educator and guidance counselor he has helped many students find their way to a successful and happy career.This podcast contains interviews with professionals and Mr Kee's grads to give you the knowledge you need to get an edge into finding a career you will love.

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Kee to Success: Student Careers Guide

#56 Western Engineering to Tesla to Meta - Michael Avrakh - Part 3

February 23, 2026 • Vernon Kee

0:00 | 32:16

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow… couldn’t log into your computer… and found out you were one of 18,000 people laid off overnight?

No warning.
No goodbye meeting.
Just an email at 4 a.m. saying your job no longer exists.

Today’s episode is about what happens after the dream job.

My guest spent two and a half years at Tesla — launching products, building his engineering career, riding the wave of one of the most exciting tech companies in the world. And then in 2024, 40% of his team was cut overnight.

But here’s where the story gets powerful.

Not only did he lose his job — as a Canadian working in the U.S., he had 60 days to find a new company willing to sponsor his visa… or he’d be deported.

That’s pressure.

In this episode, we talk about:

The reality of tech layoffs — and the difference between being laid off and being fired
What severance really looks like at major companies
How he turned panic into a full-time job search strategy
Why networking on LinkedIn changed everything
How he went from being ghosted after university… to being flown across the country for interviews
And how he ultimately landed a role at Meta’s Reality Labs, working on future tech most people won’t see for years

We also break down:

How to prepare for interviews at companies like Tesla and Meta
Why GPA matters less than projects
How to cold message hiring managers properly
And what high school and university students should be doing right now if they want to work in leading-edge tech

If you’ve ever worried about job security…
If you’ve ever been rejected…
If you’ve ever wondered how to break into elite companies…

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, networking, and playing the long game.