GM TRACK program vs Tesla mfg engineer for first job out of college
Graduated in ME this spring with two offers and I'm genuinely torn on a decision here. Would love input from people further into manufacturing careers than I am.
Offers:
- General Motors: TRACK rotational manufacturing engineering program at the Warren Tech Center. $90K base, 10% target bonus, solid 401k matching, relocation lump sum. 2 year rotational program.
- Tesla: Associate manufacturing engineer at Giga Nevada. $90K base, $35K in RSUs vesting over 4 years. Standard entry level role, no rotation.
I interned at both. I was at Giga Nevada when the 2024 layoffs happened and didn't get a return offer because of them—not a performance thing, just bad timing. I went back through the full interview process this year and got the offer on my own. So I've felt the Tesla culture firsthand and know what I'd be walking into.
One thing worth mentioning: I'm from Reno and my family is still there. Tesla would mean staying close to home. GM means moving to Michigan, which feels like a significant change.
I keep going back and forth on:
- Tesla's name on a resume is hard to argue with, but it's a single fixed role with no built in development structure, and I watched the 2024 layoffs happen from the inside.
- GM's TRACK program seems like a better foundation—cross functional rotations, mentorship, structured development, and two years where they can't just cut you. But it's not Tesla.
- The RSUs sound good on paper but vest over 4 years and the stock is down about 20% this year. The GM bonus and relocation cash are more predictable in years 1 and 2.
Questions for anyone who's been around manufacturing engineering longer than I have:
- How much does Tesla vs GM actually matter on a resume 5 to 10 years out?
- Is TRACK worth anything or is it mostly structured busywork?
- For people who've worked at either: what's the day to day like for an entry level mfg engineer?
- Would you take the stability and structure, or bet on the brand and the equity?
Not looking for takes on the personal stuff, I can sort that out. I would just really appreciate some perspective. Thanks