After I was accepted as an engineering assistant for the Christie Digital internship, I was sure that I would gain a LOT of experience in engineering. By the end of the month, I was right. I had amassed a whole load of experience by reading up on projector optics at my cubicle and conducting color spectrum experiments. It was difficult the first week because I had no idea how a projector functions, but I did my best and was able to complete my tasks.
On my first day at Christie Digital, I had a tour of the building with my supervisor. I quickly found that Christie Digital is massive! They have several labs, a production floor, a marketing office, an engineering office, workout rooms, and a cafeteria. I was so overwhelmed with the amount of employees and the size of the building. On the first day, my first task was assigned to me and I was working with one of the optics engineers.
My task was to compare 2 new colorimeters with the old colorimeter currently being used within the facility. I had to quickly read up on the color spectrum and luminance to understand the basics and background of my experiments. The Christie Digital environment inspired me to take initiative to complete my tasks. Most of my supervisors were in several meetings every day, so I had to make do with the time and resources I had.
By the end, I had made great friends with university co-op students and gained valuable advice for university after my grade 12 year. I feel that I have gained so much from the Christie Digital experience because it helped me understand a little bit more of the science behind a business and the fast paced and busy environment of a work place. Therefore, I would recommend the summer internship to every Shad student.
Matt Kirby
Christie Digital
Kitchener, ON
This blog captures the Shad August internship experience. Each day different interns describe their endeavours, and the Shad community gets an inside look at what Shad students do in their summer roles.
Friday, September 2
Thursday, September 1
September 1
This August, I had the opportunity to work as an intern at Xerox Research Centre Canada. Xerox Research Centre Canada is Xerox's main materials research facility and is, as I discovered, home to all sorts of chemical and scientific innovation. I took part in a Materials Integration lab, performing a variety of tests and experiments to evaluate the durability and properties of experimental types of ink. I found the month to be a highly enjoyable learning experience.
From the first day of my internship to the last, I was pleased and excited to be a part of an environment of top-tier scientific innovation. The first thing I noticed in the front lobby was the wall titled "Xerox Research Centre Canada's Top Innovators," which celebrates the researchers to receive their 50th and 100th patents. Walking down the hallways of the building, I would pass by countless labs with scientists scurrying about in lab coats.
I am thankful to my supervisor and the employees in and out of my lab who were very helpful and supportive. My supervisor guided me along the numerous projects he was working on, and was always willing to answer any questions I had. The other employees in my lab were very friendly and more than happy to show me what they were up to.
As a student with a strong interest in science and technology, this has been a wonderful experience and an exhilarating glimpse into the world of scientific research. I am definitely going to miss my month at XRCC!
Greg Chen
Xerox Research Centre of Canada
Thornhill, ON
From the first day of my internship to the last, I was pleased and excited to be a part of an environment of top-tier scientific innovation. The first thing I noticed in the front lobby was the wall titled "Xerox Research Centre Canada's Top Innovators," which celebrates the researchers to receive their 50th and 100th patents. Walking down the hallways of the building, I would pass by countless labs with scientists scurrying about in lab coats.
I am thankful to my supervisor and the employees in and out of my lab who were very helpful and supportive. My supervisor guided me along the numerous projects he was working on, and was always willing to answer any questions I had. The other employees in my lab were very friendly and more than happy to show me what they were up to.
As a student with a strong interest in science and technology, this has been a wonderful experience and an exhilarating glimpse into the world of scientific research. I am definitely going to miss my month at XRCC!
Greg Chen
Xerox Research Centre of Canada
Thornhill, ON
September 1
It is my penultimate day at my internship with Benbria. Benbria is a startup high-tech company in the Kanata Research Park. Benbria designs notification services, and has also developed a talkback IP speaker.
The first thing you have to know about Benbria is that there are many interns. Almost half the people present are interns, most of them from University. The environment is quite relaxed, with interesting discussions occurring everywhere.
As an intern, I am doing the testing of Benbria's notification system. I test their web application, which is used to automatically send notifications to multiple people at once. I write and test test cases, as well as programming scripts that allow the test cases to be run autonomously.
Benbria is a great place to work. Everyone is very nice and helpful, and they are all great people to talk to. As well, we often go out to lunch or dinner, or even rock climbing, on company expense.
This internship has been a great opportunity for me to learn about the workings of the high tech sector. Thank you Benbria and Shad Valley for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Bryan Wu
Benbria
Ottawa, ON
The first thing you have to know about Benbria is that there are many interns. Almost half the people present are interns, most of them from University. The environment is quite relaxed, with interesting discussions occurring everywhere.
As an intern, I am doing the testing of Benbria's notification system. I test their web application, which is used to automatically send notifications to multiple people at once. I write and test test cases, as well as programming scripts that allow the test cases to be run autonomously.
Benbria is a great place to work. Everyone is very nice and helpful, and they are all great people to talk to. As well, we often go out to lunch or dinner, or even rock climbing, on company expense.
This internship has been a great opportunity for me to learn about the workings of the high tech sector. Thank you Benbria and Shad Valley for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Bryan Wu
Benbria
Ottawa, ON
September 1
It’s my second last day of working at MTS Allstream Inc. Even though it takes me about an hour to arrive at their Etobicoke office for Technology Development, I’m excited to come to work everyday. On the first day, I was assigned a major project to develop a barcode reader android application to improve the inventory within the company. My product will be used extensively to help keep track of the company’s devices with the simple tap of a button. Being able to work at my own pace and tackle the problems on my own definitely challenged me, but I’ve still had a lot of fun in the process.
One of the best things about this internship is the people. Even though everyone is working on his or her own projects, I’ve found that the internship still gave me an opportunity to meet new people. During this month, I have had lunch with the President of MTS Allstream Inc., Dean Prevost, as well as my bosses and some of the employees. Getting this time to get to know the people within the company made me feel more welcomed and made this experience that much more valuable.
Truthfully, I’m extremely sad to leave this workplace. I will never forget the time that I’ve had and the knowledge that I’ve learned from MTS Allstream. I wish every day would be like this one.
Thank you MTS Allstream Inc. for this amazing opportunity, I never imagined working for a company could be this much fun!
Sarah Tan
MTS Allstream Inc.
Toronto, ON
One of the best things about this internship is the people. Even though everyone is working on his or her own projects, I’ve found that the internship still gave me an opportunity to meet new people. During this month, I have had lunch with the President of MTS Allstream Inc., Dean Prevost, as well as my bosses and some of the employees. Getting this time to get to know the people within the company made me feel more welcomed and made this experience that much more valuable.
Truthfully, I’m extremely sad to leave this workplace. I will never forget the time that I’ve had and the knowledge that I’ve learned from MTS Allstream. I wish every day would be like this one.
Thank you MTS Allstream Inc. for this amazing opportunity, I never imagined working for a company could be this much fun!
Sarah Tan
MTS Allstream Inc.
Toronto, ON
Wednesday, August 31
August 31
I know for a fact that I am, and will forever be, grateful to the Shad Valley program for giving me a wide array of opportunities this summer. I have been able to open my eyes to new possibilities, learn new skills and undertake new challenges that I never thought were possible. And just when I thought that Shad Valley could not possibly do any more for me, they decided to prove me wrong by giving me yet another unforgettable experience: an internship at Medtronic of Canada for five whole weeks.
In simple terms, Medtronic, Inc. is a world leader in medical technology and innovation; a company that is extremely passionate about helping patients from around the world live better lives. My role at this innovative and prestigious company involved working on Public Relations projects, conducting research on key health reporters of various publications in Canada, research on social media audits, as well as compiling databases and reports of my findings. In addition, I was also entrusted with the planning and organization of an Open House of Medtronic for the Shad Valley alumni of 2011. The event entailed a tour of the numerous interesting sustainability features of the building, presentations by a few speakers, including the President of Medtronic of Canada, as well as fascinating simulators of medical technology. This was one of the most important and engaging projects that I worked on this month, and my efforts paid off with the event becoming a huge success, if I may say so myself. I have also been given the chance to appear on the news and the radio as a result of this event, and as a passionate actor, this exposure to the media world was very exciting.
Not only is my role one of great interest and appeal, the working environment that was allotted to me is also very friendly and welcoming. This was brought about mainly by my fellow co-workers, all of whom had a part to play in making me feel welcome every day of the month. One of my co-workers is also a Shad Valley alumni; Dheevesh Arulmani is a Carleton Shad and together, we have dealt with our lack of Shad Valley during the month of August. While he works on projects regarding a topic that is completely different (economic assessment of health technology), we have worked in the same office and kept each other company for the entire month. My boss has also greatly helped and supported me during this month, providing valuable life lessons at every turn and giving me an amazing working experience. Not only is she very instructive and knowledgeable, she is also fun, energetic and engaging; this being very obvious when she decided to take me on a amazing field trip to a camp for children with various heart conditions.
It is sad to know that these are my final days at Medtronic; I have learnt a lot during my month here at Medtronic and will greatly miss these offices. Having been given a taste of the corporate world, I feel like I understand myself and my working habits more than I ever did. I would like to extend a special thanks to my boss and everyone who helped provide this opportunity and make this an amazing experience for me.
Aaron Vincent
Medtronic of Canada
Mississauga, ON
In simple terms, Medtronic, Inc. is a world leader in medical technology and innovation; a company that is extremely passionate about helping patients from around the world live better lives. My role at this innovative and prestigious company involved working on Public Relations projects, conducting research on key health reporters of various publications in Canada, research on social media audits, as well as compiling databases and reports of my findings. In addition, I was also entrusted with the planning and organization of an Open House of Medtronic for the Shad Valley alumni of 2011. The event entailed a tour of the numerous interesting sustainability features of the building, presentations by a few speakers, including the President of Medtronic of Canada, as well as fascinating simulators of medical technology. This was one of the most important and engaging projects that I worked on this month, and my efforts paid off with the event becoming a huge success, if I may say so myself. I have also been given the chance to appear on the news and the radio as a result of this event, and as a passionate actor, this exposure to the media world was very exciting.
Not only is my role one of great interest and appeal, the working environment that was allotted to me is also very friendly and welcoming. This was brought about mainly by my fellow co-workers, all of whom had a part to play in making me feel welcome every day of the month. One of my co-workers is also a Shad Valley alumni; Dheevesh Arulmani is a Carleton Shad and together, we have dealt with our lack of Shad Valley during the month of August. While he works on projects regarding a topic that is completely different (economic assessment of health technology), we have worked in the same office and kept each other company for the entire month. My boss has also greatly helped and supported me during this month, providing valuable life lessons at every turn and giving me an amazing working experience. Not only is she very instructive and knowledgeable, she is also fun, energetic and engaging; this being very obvious when she decided to take me on a amazing field trip to a camp for children with various heart conditions.
It is sad to know that these are my final days at Medtronic; I have learnt a lot during my month here at Medtronic and will greatly miss these offices. Having been given a taste of the corporate world, I feel like I understand myself and my working habits more than I ever did. I would like to extend a special thanks to my boss and everyone who helped provide this opportunity and make this an amazing experience for me.
Aaron Vincent
Medtronic of Canada
Mississauga, ON
August 31
Hmm... how to describe what I did at Indigo Books and Music this August? Here’s the simplest way:
Wanted: Website Fix-It Girl, Online Production Department
Needs to be able to:
- Proofread product descriptions in the Lifestyle and Paper shops in both English and French for consistency;
- Download numerous album cover images to ensure a complete listing of Indigo’s music library;
- Create product lists and sidebars for the “redesign” of the Indigo website; and
- Format rules and regulations of the current contests.
Indigo offers:
- Flexible hours;
- Friendly staff who are willing to teach and advise;
- Great downtown Toronto location with a short commute; and
- Professional yet relaxed atmosphere.
With only two more days left, it’s hard to believe my four weeks went by so fast. Thank you to all of my coworkers for your support and encouragement – it was a pleasure to work with you and I learned so many valuable lessons! Best of luck in September!
Claire Browne
Indigo Books and Music
Toronto, ON
August 31
Though my internship ended almost a week ago, I was still seen today leaving the offices of Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd. (JACOS), contented and with my arms full. In fact, they were full with assorted computer components and even a laptop; my (now former) boss had them laying around at home and was more than willing to give them to me, a known computer tinkerer.
Yet, one month ago I had left that same office nervous and distressed; could I really live up to their expectations? Would I really feel welcome here? Could I survive to the end of the month? On the first day I was given "the tour" and assigned to the IT department, directly working under and sharing the office of the IT lead. My task had sounded simple: "Inventory," they had said. I thought that all I had to do was to visit supply rooms and count boxes.
Well, I was wrong. Before they hired me, they'd known all about my inclinations towards programming and so they decided to put me to the test. From scratch, I planned, designed and implemented a MySQL database with an MS Access + VBA front-end that would keep track of which employees had what equipment, what software and components were installed on each computer, when equipment leases and licenses expired, etc. This, of course, required me to learn the aforementioned technologies first - but you have to start somewhere, right? I spent the first three weeks either hunched over a keyboard coding, furiously reading, yelling questions across the room, or wandering the office when I'd had enough of the screen; I spent the last week replacing cables and chatting with the employees as I scurried between the three floors populating my database with relevant information.
Though a lot of my learning and work was self-directed, my boss and the other employees were always willing to share their knowledge, expertise and assistance when I asked for it. If I needed reference books or software, the company would put it in my hands within a day or two. I felt my experience there gave me a taste of corporate culture and how technology is used and supported in the business world (which is very different from what hobbyists and enthusiasts do at home).
My internship, like Shad, was another avenue for personal growth and I feel that it was well worth the time.
Julian Salazar
Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd.
Calgary, AB
Yet, one month ago I had left that same office nervous and distressed; could I really live up to their expectations? Would I really feel welcome here? Could I survive to the end of the month? On the first day I was given "the tour" and assigned to the IT department, directly working under and sharing the office of the IT lead. My task had sounded simple: "Inventory," they had said. I thought that all I had to do was to visit supply rooms and count boxes.
Well, I was wrong. Before they hired me, they'd known all about my inclinations towards programming and so they decided to put me to the test. From scratch, I planned, designed and implemented a MySQL database with an MS Access + VBA front-end that would keep track of which employees had what equipment, what software and components were installed on each computer, when equipment leases and licenses expired, etc. This, of course, required me to learn the aforementioned technologies first - but you have to start somewhere, right? I spent the first three weeks either hunched over a keyboard coding, furiously reading, yelling questions across the room, or wandering the office when I'd had enough of the screen; I spent the last week replacing cables and chatting with the employees as I scurried between the three floors populating my database with relevant information.
Though a lot of my learning and work was self-directed, my boss and the other employees were always willing to share their knowledge, expertise and assistance when I asked for it. If I needed reference books or software, the company would put it in my hands within a day or two. I felt my experience there gave me a taste of corporate culture and how technology is used and supported in the business world (which is very different from what hobbyists and enthusiasts do at home).
My internship, like Shad, was another avenue for personal growth and I feel that it was well worth the time.
Julian Salazar
Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd.
Calgary, AB
Tuesday, August 30
August 30
Sadly I ended my RBC internship a week early due to university complications; in fact yesterday was my last day of my internship at RBC.
During this month, I have met so many amazing co-workers as well learned new technology which could help me build up my resume. I have done tasks that I never imagined a high school student would be trusted with.
I do wish to be able to work for RBC again. The experience and diverse culture it offers is something that no other banks in the world could possibly offer. Special thanks to my manager and senior manager for giving me this opportunity to enrich my experience.
Jessica Wong
RBC Financial Group
Mississauga, ON
During this month, I have met so many amazing co-workers as well learned new technology which could help me build up my resume. I have done tasks that I never imagined a high school student would be trusted with.
I do wish to be able to work for RBC again. The experience and diverse culture it offers is something that no other banks in the world could possibly offer. Special thanks to my manager and senior manager for giving me this opportunity to enrich my experience.
Jessica Wong
RBC Financial Group
Mississauga, ON
August 30
I have had the amazing opportunity to work online with Social Journal, a Canadian-based start-up which aims to create an online site that will become the foremost online destination for social entrepreneurs. My job is to analyze visitor traffic and behaviour to Social Journal's blog and beta site using Google Analytics and other analytic tools. Overall, each day of my online internship has been a unique and extraordinary learning experience, and today was no exception.
I started my internship today in a hotel room in Los Angeles, California, after lunch. Taking out my laptop, I discussed with my boss over Skype and we determined the assignments I would complete over the next few days. The call was casual, with no need for formalities or any sort of defined structure. Throughout the call, we shared knowledge and discussed ideas equally, and I could always interrupt my boss to raise a point of issue. Thus, my boss treated me not as an employee, but as an equal partner in business, which is representative of my entire internship experience.
After the call ended, I proceeded to start completing one of my assignments, which was to research tools to analyze social media traffic to our website. By reading through several sites, I learned a lot about tools such as KISSmetrics, Twendz, Twittersheep, and Huitesuite Analytics. The next step was to identify which tool Social Journal would use and to sign up for the tool, but first my family had planned to attend an admissions tour at CalTech. I returned to the hotel room at around 10:00 in the evening and finished setting up an account for KISSmetrics, the analytic tool which I felt was best for Social Journal.
Each day of my internship has been the same as this one in terms of how flexible my work schedule is and how much control I have over my work. Thus, I have truly enjoyed working with Social Journal as they have given me an endless amount of opportunities to learn and develop my skills as much as I want. Though my internship is ending in a few days, I hope to continue working with Social Journal as a team member in the following months. Thank you so much, Shad, for giving me the opportunity to work with such an amazing company as well as giving me the opportunity to experience an amazing month of July! Thanks, too, to Social Journal, for giving me an incredible internship experience. I'll certainly look forward to continuing my work with Social Journal.
Victor Shang
SoJo
Victoria, BC
I started my internship today in a hotel room in Los Angeles, California, after lunch. Taking out my laptop, I discussed with my boss over Skype and we determined the assignments I would complete over the next few days. The call was casual, with no need for formalities or any sort of defined structure. Throughout the call, we shared knowledge and discussed ideas equally, and I could always interrupt my boss to raise a point of issue. Thus, my boss treated me not as an employee, but as an equal partner in business, which is representative of my entire internship experience.
After the call ended, I proceeded to start completing one of my assignments, which was to research tools to analyze social media traffic to our website. By reading through several sites, I learned a lot about tools such as KISSmetrics, Twendz, Twittersheep, and Huitesuite Analytics. The next step was to identify which tool Social Journal would use and to sign up for the tool, but first my family had planned to attend an admissions tour at CalTech. I returned to the hotel room at around 10:00 in the evening and finished setting up an account for KISSmetrics, the analytic tool which I felt was best for Social Journal.
Each day of my internship has been the same as this one in terms of how flexible my work schedule is and how much control I have over my work. Thus, I have truly enjoyed working with Social Journal as they have given me an endless amount of opportunities to learn and develop my skills as much as I want. Though my internship is ending in a few days, I hope to continue working with Social Journal as a team member in the following months. Thank you so much, Shad, for giving me the opportunity to work with such an amazing company as well as giving me the opportunity to experience an amazing month of July! Thanks, too, to Social Journal, for giving me an incredible internship experience. I'll certainly look forward to continuing my work with Social Journal.
Victor Shang
SoJo
Victoria, BC
Monday, August 29
August 29
“If you are interning for a Real Estate Agent, you get the flexibility of an agent’s lifestyle”. Those words were running through my mind as I was sitting on a Thursday morning, completing one of the tasks assigned to me during this internship from home instead of the office.
Karen, my boss and the co-owner of Go West Realty, explained on the first day how the life of a real estate agent worked; self-motivation, drive and hard work were required. Yet it was to be a mix of these traits and just enjoying life. On an average morning I could be found talking and laughing with the co-owners for an hour drinking coffee, but suddenly it’d be hyper-drive work time because a new lead opened up.
I learned tons on property management, residential sales and investing. Partially through sitting down and having Karen explain things to me, and partially from completing the tasks she usually does day-to-day.
Karen showed me how a career in real estate can fit an adventurous lifestyle like mine. Benefits include having the ability to go for mid-day work outs, travel whenever, and direct your company as you wish. I can now use this intern experience to pursue my own real estate career!
In closing, thank you Karen and the Go West Team for having me as an intern over the last month, I learned skills that I will take with me for the rest of my life!
Karen, my boss and the co-owner of Go West Realty, explained on the first day how the life of a real estate agent worked; self-motivation, drive and hard work were required. Yet it was to be a mix of these traits and just enjoying life. On an average morning I could be found talking and laughing with the co-owners for an hour drinking coffee, but suddenly it’d be hyper-drive work time because a new lead opened up.
I learned tons on property management, residential sales and investing. Partially through sitting down and having Karen explain things to me, and partially from completing the tasks she usually does day-to-day.
Karen showed me how a career in real estate can fit an adventurous lifestyle like mine. Benefits include having the ability to go for mid-day work outs, travel whenever, and direct your company as you wish. I can now use this intern experience to pursue my own real estate career!
In closing, thank you Karen and the Go West Team for having me as an intern over the last month, I learned skills that I will take with me for the rest of my life!
August 29
Every time I enter, the nutty smell of the café wafts up to embrace me, even on the topmost floor of the building. Walking through the open layout of the offices, observing the brightly painted walls and water bowls for the occasional canine companion on the floor, I am once again struck by how modern this company is. But then, that’s what Desire2Learn is: a modern, innovative company making a big impact in the world around it.
Desire2Learn creates the online platforms supporting online learning for universities, secondary schools, corporations, and governments all over the world. This is the first year they have taken on a Shad alumnus as an intern. I was assigned two projects to complete for the duration of my stay: completing the initial research for a new vertical Desire2Learn wishes to explore, and watching and categorizing raw video footage from D2L’s recent users’ conference called Fusion.
On my first day, I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know what to expect or what I would be expected to do. Luckily, my mom sent me off with these kind words of encouragement: “They’re not going to give you something that will jeopardize the future of their company!” That made me feel a lot better. However, I needn’t have worried; everyone at Desir2Learn was very kind and obliging. I was given the use of a desk and laptop and I set to work on my projects.
The time flew by. I am an intern with Desire2Learn for five weeks, and here I am among the final days. I will miss the routine and the sense of accomplishment that this internship has given me. I will miss the aroma of coffee and cookies from the café downstairs. I will miss the thrill of excitement I get every time I see a dog run past my desk (a common occurrence at Desire2Learn!) But most of all, I will miss the people who introduced themselves in the elevator, or walking past my desk. And to those who kept talking, who brought me into their worlds outside of work. Thank you.
Charlotte Wallace
Desire2Learn
Waterloo, Ontario
Desire2Learn creates the online platforms supporting online learning for universities, secondary schools, corporations, and governments all over the world. This is the first year they have taken on a Shad alumnus as an intern. I was assigned two projects to complete for the duration of my stay: completing the initial research for a new vertical Desire2Learn wishes to explore, and watching and categorizing raw video footage from D2L’s recent users’ conference called Fusion.
On my first day, I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know what to expect or what I would be expected to do. Luckily, my mom sent me off with these kind words of encouragement: “They’re not going to give you something that will jeopardize the future of their company!” That made me feel a lot better. However, I needn’t have worried; everyone at Desir2Learn was very kind and obliging. I was given the use of a desk and laptop and I set to work on my projects.
The time flew by. I am an intern with Desire2Learn for five weeks, and here I am among the final days. I will miss the routine and the sense of accomplishment that this internship has given me. I will miss the aroma of coffee and cookies from the café downstairs. I will miss the thrill of excitement I get every time I see a dog run past my desk (a common occurrence at Desire2Learn!) But most of all, I will miss the people who introduced themselves in the elevator, or walking past my desk. And to those who kept talking, who brought me into their worlds outside of work. Thank you.
Charlotte Wallace
Desire2Learn
Waterloo, Ontario
August 29
Just as four weeks of Shad went by in a flash, so did my four weeks of internship. As I'm finally used to waking up at the crack of dawn, suffering through the morning commute, and learning the countless three letter acronyms in the field of engineering, it's time to say goodbye.
My placement is at Cronos Consulting Group, a small research firm that specializes in the fields of science and engineering. The office is a very open environment, in fact, I remember being told on the first day to ask lots of questions, provide feedback, and especially to eavesdrop on the senior consultant's conversations.
Everyone is very outgoing and chatting with them over lunch is always a highlight of my day. However, my favourite part is the little wrap-up meeting we do before we all depart for home. Someone, usually my supervisor Afifa, reads an interesting piece of news article and we, as a team, discuss how it affects us as a business. It's like a leveled-up, way more awesome version of all those critical reading exercises that we do in school. Through these discussions, I learned about the field of engineering and how it interplays with politics and the economy.
My role at Cronos is to assist the senior consultants by scavenging the internet and finding appropriate talents with experiences relevant to each of our client's requirements. It's a lot harder than it sounds. This is my first "real" exposure to the engineering industry, and as I've mentioned, the jargons and technical terms sound like a foreign language! I&C, PLC, DCS, LCA, CFD, FEA, P&ID, PFD, LNG, that's just a sample of the more frequently used ones. I also had to be clever with my search terms and methods, luckily my supervisor provided me with sheets upon sheets of reference material. The task is also as rewarding as it is challenging, I've developed many transferable skills that will inevitably carry onto other areas of my life, such as knowing how to write a killer resume. In addition, having read through countless other successful engineer's experiences, I've developed a better idea of how to achieve my own career goals.
Aside from my routine work, I was also assigned a special research project to do on next generation biofuels. It was tons of fun and the perfect chance to apply the research skills that I've accumulated over the month.
As I finish my second last day, I'd like to again thank everyone at Cronos, especially Afifa, Aliya, and Adam, for all the patient help and feedback they provided. Also thank you Shad Valley for connecting me to Cronos and making my 2011 summer one that I will never forget.
Weijie Liu
Cronos Consulting Group
Toronto, Ontario
My placement is at Cronos Consulting Group, a small research firm that specializes in the fields of science and engineering. The office is a very open environment, in fact, I remember being told on the first day to ask lots of questions, provide feedback, and especially to eavesdrop on the senior consultant's conversations.
Everyone is very outgoing and chatting with them over lunch is always a highlight of my day. However, my favourite part is the little wrap-up meeting we do before we all depart for home. Someone, usually my supervisor Afifa, reads an interesting piece of news article and we, as a team, discuss how it affects us as a business. It's like a leveled-up, way more awesome version of all those critical reading exercises that we do in school. Through these discussions, I learned about the field of engineering and how it interplays with politics and the economy.
My role at Cronos is to assist the senior consultants by scavenging the internet and finding appropriate talents with experiences relevant to each of our client's requirements. It's a lot harder than it sounds. This is my first "real" exposure to the engineering industry, and as I've mentioned, the jargons and technical terms sound like a foreign language! I&C, PLC, DCS, LCA, CFD, FEA, P&ID, PFD, LNG, that's just a sample of the more frequently used ones. I also had to be clever with my search terms and methods, luckily my supervisor provided me with sheets upon sheets of reference material. The task is also as rewarding as it is challenging, I've developed many transferable skills that will inevitably carry onto other areas of my life, such as knowing how to write a killer resume. In addition, having read through countless other successful engineer's experiences, I've developed a better idea of how to achieve my own career goals.
Aside from my routine work, I was also assigned a special research project to do on next generation biofuels. It was tons of fun and the perfect chance to apply the research skills that I've accumulated over the month.
As I finish my second last day, I'd like to again thank everyone at Cronos, especially Afifa, Aliya, and Adam, for all the patient help and feedback they provided. Also thank you Shad Valley for connecting me to Cronos and making my 2011 summer one that I will never forget.
Weijie Liu
Cronos Consulting Group
Toronto, Ontario
Friday, August 26
August 26
Today was actually my last day at work, but that didn't stop me from working just as hard as I usually would have.
I spent an amazing month with Nature Crops International, a child company of Technology Crops International. Nature Crops, or NCI for short, is a Prince Edward Island based company that produces speciality oils that are customized to fit the client companies needs. I worked in the company's chemistry department, where I would do chemical analysis and quality control on the oil samples.
I was privileged to experience something that others cannot get unless they go through years of studies first, and I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. My day would go from 8 in the morning to about 4:30 pm. During this time all the staff members of the company would try to provide the best experience for me, and to give me as many opportunities to learn as possible. This resulted in me being extremely comfortable in the laboratory environment, something that I will take with me to all other labs that I ever visit.
The staff invested an extraordinary amount of trust in me, something that I am deeply thankful for. It was because of this that I learned so much over that short month. This included how to operate a Gas Chromatography machine, something that I enjoyed considerably, and how to perform Iodine Tests, Colour Tests, Phosphorus Tests, Moisture Tests, Stability Tests--the list goes on and on. The most important aspect of all this chemistry was, in my opinion, the ability to relate those results and procedures back to the original question; whether the oil was good or not. This experience allowed me to take my classroom theory into the real world, something that I have always desired.
Being part of a professional laboratory environment didn't only teach me about chemistry, but also about the dynamics of a lab, as well as the dynamics of modern business and the relationships between a company, its clients, its suppliers and its producers. The amount of care, thought, and work that is invested in a simple oil for a cosmetic company is amazing. Every worker in the company would share the same feelings about the quality of an oil, and this created a tight social network that is very rare in today’s professional industries.
Yet again, I thank the staff and workers at Nature Crops International. They have given me an exceptional experience that I would not have traded against anything else. I could not have been more pleased.
Jason Wuertz
Technology Crops International
Charlottetown, PEI
I spent an amazing month with Nature Crops International, a child company of Technology Crops International. Nature Crops, or NCI for short, is a Prince Edward Island based company that produces speciality oils that are customized to fit the client companies needs. I worked in the company's chemistry department, where I would do chemical analysis and quality control on the oil samples.
I was privileged to experience something that others cannot get unless they go through years of studies first, and I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. My day would go from 8 in the morning to about 4:30 pm. During this time all the staff members of the company would try to provide the best experience for me, and to give me as many opportunities to learn as possible. This resulted in me being extremely comfortable in the laboratory environment, something that I will take with me to all other labs that I ever visit.
The staff invested an extraordinary amount of trust in me, something that I am deeply thankful for. It was because of this that I learned so much over that short month. This included how to operate a Gas Chromatography machine, something that I enjoyed considerably, and how to perform Iodine Tests, Colour Tests, Phosphorus Tests, Moisture Tests, Stability Tests--the list goes on and on. The most important aspect of all this chemistry was, in my opinion, the ability to relate those results and procedures back to the original question; whether the oil was good or not. This experience allowed me to take my classroom theory into the real world, something that I have always desired.
Being part of a professional laboratory environment didn't only teach me about chemistry, but also about the dynamics of a lab, as well as the dynamics of modern business and the relationships between a company, its clients, its suppliers and its producers. The amount of care, thought, and work that is invested in a simple oil for a cosmetic company is amazing. Every worker in the company would share the same feelings about the quality of an oil, and this created a tight social network that is very rare in today’s professional industries.
Yet again, I thank the staff and workers at Nature Crops International. They have given me an exceptional experience that I would not have traded against anything else. I could not have been more pleased.
Jason Wuertz
Technology Crops International
Charlottetown, PEI
August 26
Four weeks ago my Shad adventure had come to an end yet the second part of my Shad experience was just beginning. Now, four weeks later, I have completed my internship at McElhanney and emerged with a glimpse into the working force. McElhanney is a surveying and mapping company focusing primarily with the oil and gas and forestry industries. In addition to surveying, McElhanney makes and prints maps. Once created, the maps need to be printed, folded, sorted, filed, laminated, and bound just to name a few of the many tasks the company does.
As an intern to the company, my day had a wide variety of tasks to complete. One of my main jobs was to laminate, cut and bind McElhanney map books which they sell to the public for use recreationally such as hunting, fishing, snowmobiling etc. but also for commercial use. It was amazing to see how even though much of earth today has been met by human contact there are constant changes to these maps as more is discovered about sections of land.
In addition to this, I helped with organizing the hundreds of maps that come through McElhanney’s offices. Sorting, scanning, filing and placing the maps in an organized manner could sometimes cause chaos but it gave me an in depth view of how different companies within the same industries work together to efficiently create a system.
Having never really entered an office job before, this also gave me the chance to learn about the large variety of machines the McElhanney print room holds and how to run them each. From 4 feet wide printers to the giant paper cutter and everything in-between, the print room at McElhanney had a lot to learn from. These are just some tasks among many that I completed throughout the month.
I would like to thank McElhanney and Shad Valley for the opportunity to complete my internship and gain valuable work experience through these last few weeks!
Jacquie Gulevich
McElhanney Land Surveys Ltd.
Fort St. John, BC
As an intern to the company, my day had a wide variety of tasks to complete. One of my main jobs was to laminate, cut and bind McElhanney map books which they sell to the public for use recreationally such as hunting, fishing, snowmobiling etc. but also for commercial use. It was amazing to see how even though much of earth today has been met by human contact there are constant changes to these maps as more is discovered about sections of land.
In addition to this, I helped with organizing the hundreds of maps that come through McElhanney’s offices. Sorting, scanning, filing and placing the maps in an organized manner could sometimes cause chaos but it gave me an in depth view of how different companies within the same industries work together to efficiently create a system.
Having never really entered an office job before, this also gave me the chance to learn about the large variety of machines the McElhanney print room holds and how to run them each. From 4 feet wide printers to the giant paper cutter and everything in-between, the print room at McElhanney had a lot to learn from. These are just some tasks among many that I completed throughout the month.
I would like to thank McElhanney and Shad Valley for the opportunity to complete my internship and gain valuable work experience through these last few weeks!
Jacquie Gulevich
McElhanney Land Surveys Ltd.
Fort St. John, BC
August 26
I have never really had a ‘real job’ before, so I had no idea what to expect when I was offered an internship at Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC). Fortunately, my preconception of menial sedentary photocopying all day everyday was proven false on the first day. I couldn’t possibly imagine the amount of work behind something like a photocopy.
Each Xerox Research Centre worldwide makes a unique and integral contribution to Xerox as a whole. XRCC is the materials research centre where research in toners, inks, photoreceptors and specialty substrates is conducted. I help a supervisor with a new project called Printable Electronics. We have been concentrating on thin-film transistor fabrication and the evaluation using new semiconductor materials. Eventually, this research will be applied to developing low-cost, flexible electronic devices using printing technologies. I was a little nervous because I hadn’t taken anything beyond the first year of physics nor learned about circuits at school, but my supervisor was very patient and not only taught me, but showed me how transistors work.
However, I was not limited to just learning about transistors. The open door policy allows me to learn about the research of other scientists and co-op students such as working with inks and the actual synthesis of the polymers! Even though everyone is so busy, everyone at XRCC is so hospitable and happy to take the time to explain everything from the apparatus they use to each step of the procedures.
It has been absolutely amazing the valuable experiences I have gained here. I did lab work every single day. I have not done a page of paperwork. I operated equipment that third-year university students may not even have the chance to touch every single day. I worked one-on-one with a principal scientist at XRCC who is working to file his 100th patent for a whole month! I am so grateful to everyone at XRCC and Shad Valley for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Stella Lee
Xerox Research Centre of Canada
Oakville, ON
Each Xerox Research Centre worldwide makes a unique and integral contribution to Xerox as a whole. XRCC is the materials research centre where research in toners, inks, photoreceptors and specialty substrates is conducted. I help a supervisor with a new project called Printable Electronics. We have been concentrating on thin-film transistor fabrication and the evaluation using new semiconductor materials. Eventually, this research will be applied to developing low-cost, flexible electronic devices using printing technologies. I was a little nervous because I hadn’t taken anything beyond the first year of physics nor learned about circuits at school, but my supervisor was very patient and not only taught me, but showed me how transistors work.
However, I was not limited to just learning about transistors. The open door policy allows me to learn about the research of other scientists and co-op students such as working with inks and the actual synthesis of the polymers! Even though everyone is so busy, everyone at XRCC is so hospitable and happy to take the time to explain everything from the apparatus they use to each step of the procedures.
It has been absolutely amazing the valuable experiences I have gained here. I did lab work every single day. I have not done a page of paperwork. I operated equipment that third-year university students may not even have the chance to touch every single day. I worked one-on-one with a principal scientist at XRCC who is working to file his 100th patent for a whole month! I am so grateful to everyone at XRCC and Shad Valley for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Stella Lee
Xerox Research Centre of Canada
Oakville, ON
August 26
My summer internship, which I greatly enjoyed, comes to an end today. I’m working for Mr. Adam Lorant, a member of the board of directors of Shad Valley and a formidable entrepreneur who is constantly in search of new and exciting ventures. He has been a great mentor, and his advice and assignments have led me in many directions of research.
My two main tasks this month were researching the feasibility of concentrated solar power on a small scale, and reviewing a Facebook application in development. Both of the tasks were very self-directed (I worked at home), but much progress was achieved.
Today, I called MPTV, a company which develops panels that convert heat directly to usable electricity. I requested details about the technology, such as its size, power output, cost, temperature required, and stage of development. I collected and presented this information of Mr. Lorant. He then gave his opinions about the technology, as well as some feedback about my work in general.
This post-Shad month has been nearly as challenging and fun as the previous month at the Shad program. Shad Valley has given me many entrepreneurial skills, and this internship has only augmented them.
Fred Zhu
PolarBlue Systems
Burnaby, BC
My two main tasks this month were researching the feasibility of concentrated solar power on a small scale, and reviewing a Facebook application in development. Both of the tasks were very self-directed (I worked at home), but much progress was achieved.
Today, I called MPTV, a company which develops panels that convert heat directly to usable electricity. I requested details about the technology, such as its size, power output, cost, temperature required, and stage of development. I collected and presented this information of Mr. Lorant. He then gave his opinions about the technology, as well as some feedback about my work in general.
This post-Shad month has been nearly as challenging and fun as the previous month at the Shad program. Shad Valley has given me many entrepreneurial skills, and this internship has only augmented them.
Fred Zhu
PolarBlue Systems
Burnaby, BC
Thursday, August 25
August 25
I vividly remember the cascade of emotions on the first day of Shad—bouncing in my chair to the buzzing excitement; the conspicuous sidewise peeks at my soon-to-be friends (looking back, as if the word “friends” can even remotely describe our closeness); forcing my attention to Jeremy, one of our coordinators at the Dalhousie campus, and his opening talk on group dynamics. At the time, “norms”, “storming”, “danger zone”, and such concepts drawn hastily on a giant flipbook seemed quite foreign and intangible to me. It wasn’t until my house group hit the Shad Valley of Despair—several times—and pulled through with a business plan that included no less than three styles of citations, an “imaginative” solution to our prototype, and a stunningly confident presentation, that I came to appreciate the power of team building.
My internship at TD Securities has perfectly complemented my Shad experience, especially in terms of understanding how groups work, and work effectively. The second thing I noticed was the team spirit at the office. We celebrated a five-year anniversary for working at TD with cake; we rode the subway to an employee appreciation barbeque together; we passed yesterday afternoon at Dave and Busters for our summer team event; we start Friday morning’s with a team breakfast—the sense of “we” is simply so uniting.
My first impression was how much the people here enjoy their work. Each person I shadowed shared a distinct animation that revealed itself when they explained how they contribute to “Risk Solutions”. The self-motivation to do a task well here at my internship is only comparable to that I found at Shad. It is enlightening to see first-hand how individuals take pride in reaching a milestone, and just as quickly, turn to face the next one.
My month on the BASEL II Reporting team has been marked by countless new experiences. I came to realize the magnitude of information stored virtually from updating hyperlinks and change control tabs on SharePoint. Exploring iTrackers opened my eyes to the organization of the efforts of such a large pool of human resources. As we bid a good night to the offshore team in India at the end of a morning conference call, I realized that the “real world” must account for even the little things, like time zones. From my first time using an ATM to wandering the Path during my lunch breaks to learning the wonders of Excel, and then Access, I truly appreciate how much I have learnt.
I extend my wholehearted thanks to Shad Valley for arranging this internship as the second half of the best two months of my life. I would also like to thank TD and the BASEL team for this invaluable opportunity to apply my understanding of theory in a real-world environment; welcoming me onto the team; and the patience each person here has shown in teaching me about their everyday work.
Cynthia Yeung
TD Securities
Toronto, ON
My internship at TD Securities has perfectly complemented my Shad experience, especially in terms of understanding how groups work, and work effectively. The second thing I noticed was the team spirit at the office. We celebrated a five-year anniversary for working at TD with cake; we rode the subway to an employee appreciation barbeque together; we passed yesterday afternoon at Dave and Busters for our summer team event; we start Friday morning’s with a team breakfast—the sense of “we” is simply so uniting.
My first impression was how much the people here enjoy their work. Each person I shadowed shared a distinct animation that revealed itself when they explained how they contribute to “Risk Solutions”. The self-motivation to do a task well here at my internship is only comparable to that I found at Shad. It is enlightening to see first-hand how individuals take pride in reaching a milestone, and just as quickly, turn to face the next one.
My month on the BASEL II Reporting team has been marked by countless new experiences. I came to realize the magnitude of information stored virtually from updating hyperlinks and change control tabs on SharePoint. Exploring iTrackers opened my eyes to the organization of the efforts of such a large pool of human resources. As we bid a good night to the offshore team in India at the end of a morning conference call, I realized that the “real world” must account for even the little things, like time zones. From my first time using an ATM to wandering the Path during my lunch breaks to learning the wonders of Excel, and then Access, I truly appreciate how much I have learnt.
I extend my wholehearted thanks to Shad Valley for arranging this internship as the second half of the best two months of my life. I would also like to thank TD and the BASEL team for this invaluable opportunity to apply my understanding of theory in a real-world environment; welcoming me onto the team; and the patience each person here has shown in teaching me about their everyday work.
Cynthia Yeung
TD Securities
Toronto, ON
August 25
After returning from Shad Valley, I was given a new experience - I started my internship with EBA, a Tetra Tech company.
EBA is a seemingly small company. The office is in a residential area far from downtown in a building shared with two other businesses. However, after walking into the building for the first time, I was blown away at how big EBA actually was. They were recently acquired by Tetra Tech, a large US company. They have 160 employees in Calgary alone, and many more in the head office in Edmonton. However, what really surprised me was the work environment. Having only worked at McDonald’s, I had never experienced working in an office before.
Right of the bat, they showed me my desk - a small cubicle in between the beautiful atrium in the middle of the building and the super-cool coffee machine near the front! The people in my group were very friendly – there was not one person that wasn’t amiable. They were mostly biologists, so I learned plenty about wildlife and the environment. My boss was amazing, and always ensured that I was satisfied with the work I was receiving.
The work I did was always very interesting. From amphibian habitat charts to a full day in the field doing a scientific study (a REAL one), everything I did always kept me intrigued. Every morning, I was always excited to get to work and see what new things I would get to do.
Shad gave me a month filled with joy, laughter and happiness. In addition, they provided me with an internship that gave me an immense experience, and taught me so much, not only about biology, but about teamwork as well. I would like to thank Shad Valley and EBA for providing me with this amazing opportunity!
Ali Virji
EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Calgary, AB
EBA is a seemingly small company. The office is in a residential area far from downtown in a building shared with two other businesses. However, after walking into the building for the first time, I was blown away at how big EBA actually was. They were recently acquired by Tetra Tech, a large US company. They have 160 employees in Calgary alone, and many more in the head office in Edmonton. However, what really surprised me was the work environment. Having only worked at McDonald’s, I had never experienced working in an office before.
Right of the bat, they showed me my desk - a small cubicle in between the beautiful atrium in the middle of the building and the super-cool coffee machine near the front! The people in my group were very friendly – there was not one person that wasn’t amiable. They were mostly biologists, so I learned plenty about wildlife and the environment. My boss was amazing, and always ensured that I was satisfied with the work I was receiving.
The work I did was always very interesting. From amphibian habitat charts to a full day in the field doing a scientific study (a REAL one), everything I did always kept me intrigued. Every morning, I was always excited to get to work and see what new things I would get to do.
Shad gave me a month filled with joy, laughter and happiness. In addition, they provided me with an internship that gave me an immense experience, and taught me so much, not only about biology, but about teamwork as well. I would like to thank Shad Valley and EBA for providing me with this amazing opportunity!
Ali Virji
EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
Calgary, AB
August 25
All through my Shad-related experiences, everything had been shrouded in mystery: and my internship was no exception. Even the company's name, "The Centre of Excellence in Personalized Medicine" left me with more questions than answers. However, with some research and reading materials, I felt more informed and ready to tackle the tasks set before me.
CEPMED focuses largely on promoting and supporting personalized medicine through research, commercialization, and education. It also funds clinical trials that incorporate personalized medicine. It is located inside the Montreal Heart Institute and shares space with the Pharmacogenomics Centre.
My days started fairly early and I would be one of the first people to arrive in the morning. While at CEPMED, I worked on a couple of different projects, all of which involved intellectual property, and more specifically, patents incorporating personalized medicine. This work included patent searches, ensuring their relevance, and classifying them into different groups. It was difficult work, but I learned something new every day.
Today was a special day as I got a tour of the Pharmacogenomics Centre's labs upstairs. It was interesting to see the technology and processes that I read about in these patents, and it really helped me understand the complexity of what all three institutions do.
I am so thankful for everything I've learned at CEPMED (a lot), as well as for the opportunities that both Shad and CEPMED have opened me up to.
Pia Dimayuga
CEPMED
Montreal, QC
CEPMED focuses largely on promoting and supporting personalized medicine through research, commercialization, and education. It also funds clinical trials that incorporate personalized medicine. It is located inside the Montreal Heart Institute and shares space with the Pharmacogenomics Centre.
My days started fairly early and I would be one of the first people to arrive in the morning. While at CEPMED, I worked on a couple of different projects, all of which involved intellectual property, and more specifically, patents incorporating personalized medicine. This work included patent searches, ensuring their relevance, and classifying them into different groups. It was difficult work, but I learned something new every day.
Today was a special day as I got a tour of the Pharmacogenomics Centre's labs upstairs. It was interesting to see the technology and processes that I read about in these patents, and it really helped me understand the complexity of what all three institutions do.
I am so thankful for everything I've learned at CEPMED (a lot), as well as for the opportunities that both Shad and CEPMED have opened me up to.
Pia Dimayuga
CEPMED
Montreal, QC
Wednesday, August 24
August 24
The company I work for, Polar Mobile, essentially enables its customers - media companies around the world - to launch mobile applications on all smartphones and tablets. Being an avid iPod Touch user myself, it was a new experience getting to see all of the steps involved in developing an application from its most basic architecture to a functional piece of software on a mobile device. As an IT Intern, I was able to see what goes on behind the scenes, and see also just how much work goes into making something as simple as a never-ending scroll feature on an app. We often take that work for granted because the apps deliver such a smooth user experience.
What also makes my internship unique is that the company atmosphere isn’t quite conventional – it was founded in 2007 by Shad Alumni! Although Polar is moving away from its start-up status (we’ve just opened an office in Dubai!), the team is still relatively small and the dedication and efforts put into each day’s work by every employee is phenomenal. Yet everyone is still happy to lend a hand or answer a question when any of the interns need some help. This is the kind of atmosphere I would want at my future job.
I have come out of this experience with a ton of new skills and experience: I’ve developed my programming, business, and overall technical knowledge; I’ve been given a glimpse into what the business world is like; and I’ve met and communicated with so many new and talented people. Ultimately, as Shad has taught me, amazing things happen when intelligent and motivated individuals come together.
This has been the experience of a lifetime, and I cannot begin to thank Shad Valley. I highly encourage any of you reading to apply for Shad and apply for an internship!
Vivian Zhang
Polar Mobile
Toronto, ON
What also makes my internship unique is that the company atmosphere isn’t quite conventional – it was founded in 2007 by Shad Alumni! Although Polar is moving away from its start-up status (we’ve just opened an office in Dubai!), the team is still relatively small and the dedication and efforts put into each day’s work by every employee is phenomenal. Yet everyone is still happy to lend a hand or answer a question when any of the interns need some help. This is the kind of atmosphere I would want at my future job.
I have come out of this experience with a ton of new skills and experience: I’ve developed my programming, business, and overall technical knowledge; I’ve been given a glimpse into what the business world is like; and I’ve met and communicated with so many new and talented people. Ultimately, as Shad has taught me, amazing things happen when intelligent and motivated individuals come together.
This has been the experience of a lifetime, and I cannot begin to thank Shad Valley. I highly encourage any of you reading to apply for Shad and apply for an internship!
Vivian Zhang
Polar Mobile
Toronto, ON
August 24
I swipe my card and the door unlocks. I walk inside wearing my business-casual outfit with a coffee in one hand and my binder in the other. I hear greetings of good mornings and bright smiles. The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) might sound like an intimidating work placement but it is actually encompassed with optimistic people who are always buzzing with energy. I am grateful to have this learning opportunity and now, I don’t even mind the forty-five minutes I travel to get there!
My placement is in the department of Instructional Services and I intern for the Research Officer. Every new day at the YCDSB is unexpected and I always have interesting tasks waiting. Today, I entered and verified confidential data onto a spreadsheet. I later analyzed the information and looked for trends to real life applications. I was even able to contribute to a discussion on current affairs. Tomorrow, I was told to dress down because I have a messy task to complete!
I enjoy my internship at the YCDSB because I am in an atmosphere that allows me to feel like a contributing member of the team. I am also treated like a colleague and not an inexperienced high school student.
Each day is a new challenge and when I wake up at six in the morning, I have no regrets on my decision to intern at the York Catholic District School Board. It is my honour to have worked behind the scenes of the schools that this school board services.
Shagana Balasubramaniam
York Catholic District School Board
Aurora, ON
My placement is in the department of Instructional Services and I intern for the Research Officer. Every new day at the YCDSB is unexpected and I always have interesting tasks waiting. Today, I entered and verified confidential data onto a spreadsheet. I later analyzed the information and looked for trends to real life applications. I was even able to contribute to a discussion on current affairs. Tomorrow, I was told to dress down because I have a messy task to complete!
I enjoy my internship at the YCDSB because I am in an atmosphere that allows me to feel like a contributing member of the team. I am also treated like a colleague and not an inexperienced high school student.
Each day is a new challenge and when I wake up at six in the morning, I have no regrets on my decision to intern at the York Catholic District School Board. It is my honour to have worked behind the scenes of the schools that this school board services.
Shagana Balasubramaniam
York Catholic District School Board
Aurora, ON
August 24
Today, I worked in the Chemistry section of Boehringer Ingelheim, a German international pharmaceutical company. I was able to do small experiments that mirror different portions of the researchers’ work.
Martin Poirier showed me three separate compounds (a dark powder, a light powder, and an oil) in my first workshop. The chemist proceeded to mix them in a test tube and my task was to separate each compound. I used the compounds’ basic, acidic, and neutral qualities to do a liquid-liquid extraction. We identified the compounds using a thin layer chromatography. I was also introduced to various concepts of organic chemistry. This task mirrored the chemists’ work, as they have to identify, separate, and purify different compounds that will be sent to biology labs for assays.
I made a perfume for my second work shop with Martin Tremblay. We synthesized an ester found naturally in many flowers that smells like jasmine, benzyl acetate. This organic compound was made by using benzyl alcohol and acetic anhydride, a catalyst, a base, and some organic solvent. Thus, I was able to create a fragrant compound from odourless chemicals. For the development of a drug, chemists have to improve or change molecules to synthesize new ones, not to make them smell good but to increase the activity of the drug, decrease its toxicity, etc.
During my internship, I was able to crystallize proteins and observe their X-ray diffraction patterns, work with bioinformatic tools, transfect cells through electroporation, test the absorption of different compounds with Caco-2 cells, do assays with the help of robots, infect insect cells with viral material, attend some very intense seminars on various scientific topics, and many more.
This internship has helped me further understand the implications behind a drug’s discovery and development. I would like to thank Dr. Mireille Cartier for her guidance and her kind help in contacting the different scientists that I shadowed.
Thank you Shad Valley and Boehringer Ingelheim for this opportunity!
Sophie Weiwei Gao
Boehringer Ingelheim
Montreal, QC
Martin Poirier showed me three separate compounds (a dark powder, a light powder, and an oil) in my first workshop. The chemist proceeded to mix them in a test tube and my task was to separate each compound. I used the compounds’ basic, acidic, and neutral qualities to do a liquid-liquid extraction. We identified the compounds using a thin layer chromatography. I was also introduced to various concepts of organic chemistry. This task mirrored the chemists’ work, as they have to identify, separate, and purify different compounds that will be sent to biology labs for assays.
I made a perfume for my second work shop with Martin Tremblay. We synthesized an ester found naturally in many flowers that smells like jasmine, benzyl acetate. This organic compound was made by using benzyl alcohol and acetic anhydride, a catalyst, a base, and some organic solvent. Thus, I was able to create a fragrant compound from odourless chemicals. For the development of a drug, chemists have to improve or change molecules to synthesize new ones, not to make them smell good but to increase the activity of the drug, decrease its toxicity, etc.
During my internship, I was able to crystallize proteins and observe their X-ray diffraction patterns, work with bioinformatic tools, transfect cells through electroporation, test the absorption of different compounds with Caco-2 cells, do assays with the help of robots, infect insect cells with viral material, attend some very intense seminars on various scientific topics, and many more.
This internship has helped me further understand the implications behind a drug’s discovery and development. I would like to thank Dr. Mireille Cartier for her guidance and her kind help in contacting the different scientists that I shadowed.
Thank you Shad Valley and Boehringer Ingelheim for this opportunity!
Sophie Weiwei Gao
Boehringer Ingelheim
Montreal, QC
Tuesday, August 23
August 23
Fidus Systems Inc. is a company that specializes in electronic product development. The staff works with many clients on many projects to create multi-purpose custom circuit boards. With offices in Ottawa, Toronto, California, and very soon, Kitchener, I am very glad to be working my fourth week with this widespread and influential organization.
I can’t say that I have a typical day because each day is different. For this internship, I am not required to show up at work and bore myself to tears by doing repetitive tasks. Instead, two other 2011 Shads and I are required to work collaboratively towards one ultimate goal, which is to create an open source website for computer boards.
Each week, we have a series of meetings to discuss the progress on our website. We present our PowerPoints and various other files in a boardroom. Being in that setting really makes me feel like I have graduated from school and am working at a prestigious company as an adult. It is an eye-opening experience for me, to feel what it is like to be working in the real world. No matter where I volunteer or who I job-shadow, there is no opportunity that can be more hands-on than this.
Furthermore, aside from simply working alone, I am working as a part of a team. I have a responsibility to put in my best effort both for my fellow Shad colleagues, as well for my supervisors. This is an invaluable experience for me because I can see, day by day, our website coming together and our goal one step closer to being achieved.
As this internship enters into its last weeks, our team, consisting of Evelyn Huang, Bailey Gu, and I, is getting ready to put the final touches onto our website and presentation. Evelyn and I work in the Toronto office and Bailey works in Ottawa. So for the final presentation, we will be making a trip to Ottawa to join Bailey at the Fidus Systems Headquarters. There is no better way to top off an engaging, enriching, and rewarding month than with a business trip!
Louisa Bai
Fidus Systems Inc.
Toronto, ON
I can’t say that I have a typical day because each day is different. For this internship, I am not required to show up at work and bore myself to tears by doing repetitive tasks. Instead, two other 2011 Shads and I are required to work collaboratively towards one ultimate goal, which is to create an open source website for computer boards.
Each week, we have a series of meetings to discuss the progress on our website. We present our PowerPoints and various other files in a boardroom. Being in that setting really makes me feel like I have graduated from school and am working at a prestigious company as an adult. It is an eye-opening experience for me, to feel what it is like to be working in the real world. No matter where I volunteer or who I job-shadow, there is no opportunity that can be more hands-on than this.
Furthermore, aside from simply working alone, I am working as a part of a team. I have a responsibility to put in my best effort both for my fellow Shad colleagues, as well for my supervisors. This is an invaluable experience for me because I can see, day by day, our website coming together and our goal one step closer to being achieved.
As this internship enters into its last weeks, our team, consisting of Evelyn Huang, Bailey Gu, and I, is getting ready to put the final touches onto our website and presentation. Evelyn and I work in the Toronto office and Bailey works in Ottawa. So for the final presentation, we will be making a trip to Ottawa to join Bailey at the Fidus Systems Headquarters. There is no better way to top off an engaging, enriching, and rewarding month than with a business trip!
Louisa Bai
Fidus Systems Inc.
Toronto, ON
August 23
“As one of the largest independent software quality assurance companies in Canada, PQA offers the perfect solution for clients seeking the ideal balance between managing testing costs during development while improving quality in an effort to release products to market in a timely, efficient manner.”
(Description of the company by PQA)
Today was my second day, of the fourth, and last week at PQA. I’m sad to say that the internship has gone by so fast. I have enjoyed each week of work and have learned a lot of new skills. The people at PQA are amazing; they are great at explaining things and are willing to help me whenever I have a question.
During the first week, we learned about the company and computers. I learned about computer parts and what software testing was all about. It is actually more complicated than one would think!
Week two, we went into computer website testing. My partner and I were given the job to make sure that certain websites have the correct content and the functionality of the site is working properly. We did this by following a template given to us by the company, and later on in the week we got to make our own test cases.
Week three, we got into system-generated document testing which was a fun experience, and this week we just started animation testing. Each time we switch to a different part of the company we have a theory day. This is a day when they teach us about the department we will be working in and how it works. After that they give us a project to apply the skills we have just learned.
I would like to thank PQA and Shad Valley for the amazing opportunity, it has been an eye opening experience and I have learned so much!
Patricia Quek
Professional Quality Assurance (PQA)
Fredericton, NB
(Description of the company by PQA)
Today was my second day, of the fourth, and last week at PQA. I’m sad to say that the internship has gone by so fast. I have enjoyed each week of work and have learned a lot of new skills. The people at PQA are amazing; they are great at explaining things and are willing to help me whenever I have a question.
During the first week, we learned about the company and computers. I learned about computer parts and what software testing was all about. It is actually more complicated than one would think!
Week two, we went into computer website testing. My partner and I were given the job to make sure that certain websites have the correct content and the functionality of the site is working properly. We did this by following a template given to us by the company, and later on in the week we got to make our own test cases.
Week three, we got into system-generated document testing which was a fun experience, and this week we just started animation testing. Each time we switch to a different part of the company we have a theory day. This is a day when they teach us about the department we will be working in and how it works. After that they give us a project to apply the skills we have just learned.
I would like to thank PQA and Shad Valley for the amazing opportunity, it has been an eye opening experience and I have learned so much!
Patricia Quek
Professional Quality Assurance (PQA)
Fredericton, NB
August 23
My internship is very interesting to say the least. I am interning at the Institute of Quantum Computing, a place filled with ridiculously smart geniuses who take pride in being able to derive trig identities on the spot instead of simply remembering them. For the first time ever, I feel like I am not the biggest science geek in the building. The Institute of Quantum Computing explores the quantum field with projects in quantum information processers, quantum optics, quantum cryptography, etc.
The lab which I am working in, which is run by Dr. David Cory, focuses on quantum sensors and actuators. I am working with Dr. Guo-Xing Miao, a research assistant professor. We are trying to detect polarized electron spins transferred from europium sulphide to silicon doped with boron, via aluminum, as they couple with the silicon nuclear spins. Yes I know, the previous will make sense to only a small minority of people, a minority of which I was not part of when I started my internship here. Thanks to a couple textbooks, Wikipedia and a few whiteboard markers used by David, I understand what that actually means. We do this using NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance.
Today as in everyday, I went to the daily 10am “meetings” where the students, postdocs and professors alike present the project that they are working on by showing the meat and physics behind it. A note, meat means math in this case and lots of it. This is then followed (interrupted actually), by the rest of the crew trying to understand by asking lots of questions and/or pointing out faults and errors in the project. Today a PhD student had to prove that given 2 pulses of a given degree in NMR, there would be a solid state echo some time after the second pulse. The first couple days I was quite dazed by all the variables on the board: alpha, beta, tau, theta, phi and the beloved sigma. Third week in and I am proud to say that I can follow along with what they are saying, YAY!
Afterward, I went to set up a long experiment to detect a signal in the silicon sample at room temperature, with Guo-Xing. After not being able to see a signal yesterday, it was really nice to see the peak (the signal) on the computer screen. Then I set to playing around with the parameters to see which ones affect the signal, which ones don’t and most importantly why. This internship has pushed me by giving me new and complex problems every day, it has pushed me to try to grasp all the knowledge being flown around and I love the challenge.
Nidhi Juthani
Institute for Quantum Computing
Waterloo, ON
The lab which I am working in, which is run by Dr. David Cory, focuses on quantum sensors and actuators. I am working with Dr. Guo-Xing Miao, a research assistant professor. We are trying to detect polarized electron spins transferred from europium sulphide to silicon doped with boron, via aluminum, as they couple with the silicon nuclear spins. Yes I know, the previous will make sense to only a small minority of people, a minority of which I was not part of when I started my internship here. Thanks to a couple textbooks, Wikipedia and a few whiteboard markers used by David, I understand what that actually means. We do this using NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance.
Today as in everyday, I went to the daily 10am “meetings” where the students, postdocs and professors alike present the project that they are working on by showing the meat and physics behind it. A note, meat means math in this case and lots of it. This is then followed (interrupted actually), by the rest of the crew trying to understand by asking lots of questions and/or pointing out faults and errors in the project. Today a PhD student had to prove that given 2 pulses of a given degree in NMR, there would be a solid state echo some time after the second pulse. The first couple days I was quite dazed by all the variables on the board: alpha, beta, tau, theta, phi and the beloved sigma. Third week in and I am proud to say that I can follow along with what they are saying, YAY!
Afterward, I went to set up a long experiment to detect a signal in the silicon sample at room temperature, with Guo-Xing. After not being able to see a signal yesterday, it was really nice to see the peak (the signal) on the computer screen. Then I set to playing around with the parameters to see which ones affect the signal, which ones don’t and most importantly why. This internship has pushed me by giving me new and complex problems every day, it has pushed me to try to grasp all the knowledge being flown around and I love the challenge.
Nidhi Juthani
Institute for Quantum Computing
Waterloo, ON
Monday, August 22
August 22
The day starts with an experience all Shads can relate to, the annoying but familiar sound of my buzzing alarm clock wakes me from my dreams about my Shad experience. As a roll out of bed I get dressed into my business clothes and prepare for the day of work at Cenovus Energy. Cenovus Energy is a Calgary based Oil Company that prides itself in using fresh and progressive thinking in the way it produces oil.
On my first day I nervously walked into the building situated in downtown Calgary, with thirty five hundred employees it is no small company. Myself being a 15-year-old student at the time I had no idea what to expect but they treated me like a ten-year veteran in the field. Within minutes from getting into the building I had my own access card and my own office on the thirty-eighth floor with my own name bar and a view. They sat me down and explained my entire four-week task and within five minutes I sat alone in my office. The task given to me was in the area of Environment and Strategic Planning and looking at how to change the company culture and the employees thinking to be more environmentally conscious. Cenovus Energy is so focused on being a leader in innovative ways of producing oil in the field they need their office culture to match what they have committed to in operations. This is where my job came into play.
I first worked to establish the current company culture and then my mind went crazy from there. I was coming up with some left field ideas that were both realistic and probable. The freedom given to me on this project helped me to come up with many ideas that would otherwise be hampered by restrictions, I felt like a real, trusted and respected employee. In the recent days I have begun to pull my ideas together as my final presentation on Thursday draws closer. Seeing the ideas come together with the budget and the action plan as well as all the groundwork I put in really makes this project seem worthwhile to me.
The information I learned putting energy into this project is tremendous as I am living a real life office experience, to me it is not an internship anymore, and it is a real job. The respect and the credibility given to me is much beyond what some other companies give full time employees and knowing that the work I put into this project will actually be used in improving Cenovus Energy could not have made this experience any better. Lastly I just would like to thank everyone in my group that has supported me, hopefully I do you proud on Thursday and it has been a real honor to be an employee of Cenovus Energy.
Geoff Nicholson
Cenovus Energy
Calgary, AB
On my first day I nervously walked into the building situated in downtown Calgary, with thirty five hundred employees it is no small company. Myself being a 15-year-old student at the time I had no idea what to expect but they treated me like a ten-year veteran in the field. Within minutes from getting into the building I had my own access card and my own office on the thirty-eighth floor with my own name bar and a view. They sat me down and explained my entire four-week task and within five minutes I sat alone in my office. The task given to me was in the area of Environment and Strategic Planning and looking at how to change the company culture and the employees thinking to be more environmentally conscious. Cenovus Energy is so focused on being a leader in innovative ways of producing oil in the field they need their office culture to match what they have committed to in operations. This is where my job came into play.
I first worked to establish the current company culture and then my mind went crazy from there. I was coming up with some left field ideas that were both realistic and probable. The freedom given to me on this project helped me to come up with many ideas that would otherwise be hampered by restrictions, I felt like a real, trusted and respected employee. In the recent days I have begun to pull my ideas together as my final presentation on Thursday draws closer. Seeing the ideas come together with the budget and the action plan as well as all the groundwork I put in really makes this project seem worthwhile to me.
The information I learned putting energy into this project is tremendous as I am living a real life office experience, to me it is not an internship anymore, and it is a real job. The respect and the credibility given to me is much beyond what some other companies give full time employees and knowing that the work I put into this project will actually be used in improving Cenovus Energy could not have made this experience any better. Lastly I just would like to thank everyone in my group that has supported me, hopefully I do you proud on Thursday and it has been a real honor to be an employee of Cenovus Energy.
Geoff Nicholson
Cenovus Energy
Calgary, AB
August 22
My internship company is Nexen Inc., a Canadian-based company with operations all over the world. It is a global leader in oil and gas industry. I really like Nexen’s focus on sustainability, technology, and innovation, I’m grateful to have the privilege to work here.
Today marks the beginning of my last week at Nexen. My day began at 6:30am. Normally I don’t like getting up early but these days I’m eager to get out of bed. When I put on my “business casual” dress, I feel like I’m not a student but a Nexen employee.
I work in the IT Infrastructure Services department. Technology is my favourite so it’s the perfect place for me. I was very excited when my manager showed me around. I was so shocked when I first entered the data center, a huge room with rows and rows of servers. I was also introduced to different units of the department like the Windows, Unix, hardware, and networking units. I had no idea there is so much technology involved in a business. Nexen even has a 3D conference room! Working here definitely opened my eyes to the vast amount of technology in the world. I never realized how big the IT department is and how much responsibility it carries. It’s the IT people who make sure the company runs smoothly. They are the nervous system of the company.
In the past few weeks I’ve been organizing different computers for updates, reformat the networking port lists, and set up windows test labs to test new software. Today I checked for failed hard drives in the data center. It’s not a huge task but it’s crucial that they are replaced as soon as possible to ensure everything runs smoothly. I really enjoy this task.
At lunch, I enjoyed an apple as usual. It’s awesome that Nexen provides fresh fruits for its employees. It’s a great place to work!
Everyone is so nice and knowledgeable, it’s a very welcoming workplace. I learned so much from my managers Kevin Podrasky and Rob McDonald and all my coworkers. My officemate Phil Black plays David Bowie music during lunch hour, I really like him. I would like to thank all of them for making my first job so enjoyable. I wish this internship was not four weeks but four months. I would definitely look forward to working at Nexen again.
Zeyu Liu
Nexen Inc.
Calgary, AB
Today marks the beginning of my last week at Nexen. My day began at 6:30am. Normally I don’t like getting up early but these days I’m eager to get out of bed. When I put on my “business casual” dress, I feel like I’m not a student but a Nexen employee.
I work in the IT Infrastructure Services department. Technology is my favourite so it’s the perfect place for me. I was very excited when my manager showed me around. I was so shocked when I first entered the data center, a huge room with rows and rows of servers. I was also introduced to different units of the department like the Windows, Unix, hardware, and networking units. I had no idea there is so much technology involved in a business. Nexen even has a 3D conference room! Working here definitely opened my eyes to the vast amount of technology in the world. I never realized how big the IT department is and how much responsibility it carries. It’s the IT people who make sure the company runs smoothly. They are the nervous system of the company.
In the past few weeks I’ve been organizing different computers for updates, reformat the networking port lists, and set up windows test labs to test new software. Today I checked for failed hard drives in the data center. It’s not a huge task but it’s crucial that they are replaced as soon as possible to ensure everything runs smoothly. I really enjoy this task.
At lunch, I enjoyed an apple as usual. It’s awesome that Nexen provides fresh fruits for its employees. It’s a great place to work!
Everyone is so nice and knowledgeable, it’s a very welcoming workplace. I learned so much from my managers Kevin Podrasky and Rob McDonald and all my coworkers. My officemate Phil Black plays David Bowie music during lunch hour, I really like him. I would like to thank all of them for making my first job so enjoyable. I wish this internship was not four weeks but four months. I would definitely look forward to working at Nexen again.
Zeyu Liu
Nexen Inc.
Calgary, AB
August 22
Mornings are refreshing. Maybe it’s the office ambience: spacious, bright, loft-like, and fun to enter. Maybe it's the large hanging paper contraption (originally a concept for an interior installation at a venue our company is a part of) that I duck down from as I enter the door. Maybe it's the friendly people, always welcoming, always helpful.
This morning I entered the office, exchanged greetings, turned on my laptop, and got ready for the morning ritual: hitting my favourite furniture, architecture and design blogs, and finding new things to tweet on behalf of kNOTOrdinary (a new company hatched from this office focused on making sustainable furniture).
The next thing on the agenda was to finish off what I started at home the day before. At home my assignment was to get back in touch with AutoCad in order to create various floor plan concepts of a client’s office space. With the client's list of needs in a brief email and using kNOTordinary’s line of sustainable parallelogram shaped desks I created different arrangements of furniture and space. The afternoon was spent working on the details of the drawings, confirming dimensions and drawing standards. I was especially excited to work on this. It's been neat seeing how both companies infuse sustainable principles and practices into their designs, from Whiting Design’s LEED projects to kNOTordinary’s desks (made from fancy reclaimed wood taken right from our office’s ceilings)!
With that project done I am ready to finish the graphics I have also been working on for an interactive Energy Performance dashboard. It is intended to be displayed on the Whiting Design website and is supposed to creatively and clearly show online viewers the energy reductions of past projects the firm has worked on. After two critiquing sessions, I’ve been constantly editing my work and truly seeing the design process.
The day has ended but I’ve been enjoying my internship every step of the way. Everyone is so friendly and always ready to answer my questions and for that I'm thankful. I am not only learning office procedures, I am learning how to think and how to approach creative problems. All in all, I leave each work day satisfied--and of course, refreshed.
Rina Kang
Whiting Design
Waterloo, ON
This morning I entered the office, exchanged greetings, turned on my laptop, and got ready for the morning ritual: hitting my favourite furniture, architecture and design blogs, and finding new things to tweet on behalf of kNOTOrdinary (a new company hatched from this office focused on making sustainable furniture).
The next thing on the agenda was to finish off what I started at home the day before. At home my assignment was to get back in touch with AutoCad in order to create various floor plan concepts of a client’s office space. With the client's list of needs in a brief email and using kNOTordinary’s line of sustainable parallelogram shaped desks I created different arrangements of furniture and space. The afternoon was spent working on the details of the drawings, confirming dimensions and drawing standards. I was especially excited to work on this. It's been neat seeing how both companies infuse sustainable principles and practices into their designs, from Whiting Design’s LEED projects to kNOTordinary’s desks (made from fancy reclaimed wood taken right from our office’s ceilings)!
With that project done I am ready to finish the graphics I have also been working on for an interactive Energy Performance dashboard. It is intended to be displayed on the Whiting Design website and is supposed to creatively and clearly show online viewers the energy reductions of past projects the firm has worked on. After two critiquing sessions, I’ve been constantly editing my work and truly seeing the design process.
The day has ended but I’ve been enjoying my internship every step of the way. Everyone is so friendly and always ready to answer my questions and for that I'm thankful. I am not only learning office procedures, I am learning how to think and how to approach creative problems. All in all, I leave each work day satisfied--and of course, refreshed.
Rina Kang
Whiting Design
Waterloo, ON
August 19
Today I arrived at Kelk at 7:50 A.M., as I usually do, and began to work on one of my long-term projects: collecting information from the company units and updating the asset inventory. Alongside this task, I am currently innovating the company asset tracking system through introducing a QR Code tag labeling system to track all their hardware more efficiently. Though it may not seem like a glorious task; by going to all three hundred computers in these few buildings and collecting data, it helped me learn about where things are, and allowed me to meet all the people using the computers.
During this process, I discovered the workers here are very kind and helpful when trying to locate someone or something or complete a task. Kelk is also rated one of fifty best managed organizations in Canada. This was most likely awarded to them because of some of the very unique things about this company: Kelk is a very diverse company, it has a base across the world in Shanghai, work hours are lenient and everyone leaves one hour earlier on Fridays, and every Friday there are free donuts in the break room.
Otherwise, Kelk has been an amazing learning experience for me. I have learned much more about computers and associated devices, and have had the opportunity to "cannibalize" computers, harvest their useful parts, and scrap the remains.
Subsequently, I am a part of the I.S. (information systems) department, and help with company-wide tickets resolving. At this moment amidst all the updating and scurrying from building to building, I am in the middle of printing out QR codes with newly purchased labels for all the units, which I have designed and measured out. Sadly, there is no way to fully automate this process, so I am in fact sitting in front of a printer for hours at a time speeding through label making so I can excitedly follow one of my supervisors to learn from them as they deal with various obstacles that emerge in the IT industry.
Overall, Kelk has been an amazing experiences, and I look forward to spending my next two weeks here.
Daniel Kapustin
Kelk
Toronto, ON
During this process, I discovered the workers here are very kind and helpful when trying to locate someone or something or complete a task. Kelk is also rated one of fifty best managed organizations in Canada. This was most likely awarded to them because of some of the very unique things about this company: Kelk is a very diverse company, it has a base across the world in Shanghai, work hours are lenient and everyone leaves one hour earlier on Fridays, and every Friday there are free donuts in the break room.
Otherwise, Kelk has been an amazing learning experience for me. I have learned much more about computers and associated devices, and have had the opportunity to "cannibalize" computers, harvest their useful parts, and scrap the remains.
Subsequently, I am a part of the I.S. (information systems) department, and help with company-wide tickets resolving. At this moment amidst all the updating and scurrying from building to building, I am in the middle of printing out QR codes with newly purchased labels for all the units, which I have designed and measured out. Sadly, there is no way to fully automate this process, so I am in fact sitting in front of a printer for hours at a time speeding through label making so I can excitedly follow one of my supervisors to learn from them as they deal with various obstacles that emerge in the IT industry.
Overall, Kelk has been an amazing experiences, and I look forward to spending my next two weeks here.
Daniel Kapustin
Kelk
Toronto, ON
Friday, August 19
August 19
Well my last day at my internship at the OPG Lambton Generating Station, was yesterday, and it doesn't even feel like it’s been 2 weeks, it feels like more! The employees here were all very welcoming and helpful and they made my time there that much more fun.
For what is thought to be a small plant, there were a lot of jobs to be done. It has been a busy two weeks for me with something different to do every day. As I was rotating throughout the plant, I had the chance to shadow a few of the employees and get a first-hand experience at what they do and what goes into providing electricity to our homes. I did everything from working with an operator in a control room, to working in the coal yard, which was by far, the best day. The tour of the coal yard was a lot of fun as I was able to see most of the big machinery and even get a ride on a coal scraper up the big pile of coal, both by the way, are HUGE! I also got to sit in the "captain's" chair of the big stacker-reclaimer, which was 40ft. above the ground and provided a great view of the St. Clair River.
I learned a lot in my time at OPG, from administration, to engineering and operations, to maintenance, and I learned how electricity is generated, but the most important thing I learned, with all of the employees expressly telling me, was that it is NOT smoke that comes out of the wet stack (the big tower), it is WATER VAPOUR! All in all, this internship has been a great experience.
Dharti Patel
OPG Lambton Generating Station
Courtright, ON
For what is thought to be a small plant, there were a lot of jobs to be done. It has been a busy two weeks for me with something different to do every day. As I was rotating throughout the plant, I had the chance to shadow a few of the employees and get a first-hand experience at what they do and what goes into providing electricity to our homes. I did everything from working with an operator in a control room, to working in the coal yard, which was by far, the best day. The tour of the coal yard was a lot of fun as I was able to see most of the big machinery and even get a ride on a coal scraper up the big pile of coal, both by the way, are HUGE! I also got to sit in the "captain's" chair of the big stacker-reclaimer, which was 40ft. above the ground and provided a great view of the St. Clair River.
I learned a lot in my time at OPG, from administration, to engineering and operations, to maintenance, and I learned how electricity is generated, but the most important thing I learned, with all of the employees expressly telling me, was that it is NOT smoke that comes out of the wet stack (the big tower), it is WATER VAPOUR! All in all, this internship has been a great experience.
Dharti Patel
OPG Lambton Generating Station
Courtright, ON
August 19
I am currently doing an internship at Great West Life, a global assurance company. It provides insurance plans for both individuals and groups. Being such a large company, it is split into different sections. The one that I happen to be working in is called the Group IT Project Management area. The name is pretty self explanatory – the staff run and manage projects.
In the short time span of 3 weeks, my intern buddy, Matthew Stewart, and I are to interview all of the Project Managers, who know all of the details for their specific project(s). By the end of this internship, with the information we have gathered, we will have updated the Gantt chart. For those of you who are not too familiar with it, it is a great visual tool to display timelines and miniscule details such as start and end dates, and % complete. Since there are many many projects here, at Great West Life, the font on the Gantt chart is probably around a size 8. The chart itself is about 1 and a half metres wide and a wall high.
Today, we had meetings with three PM’s. For the first time, my intern and I had the opportunity to lead our own meetings. To prepare for those meetings, we were to print out Status Reports, which are reviews of the projects. I ended up wasting quite a few dead trees, but we have a special shredding company that comes in and recycles the shreds after. Before the meetings, we ran into issues with the Data Hub, since we did not realize that there was a cord that was supposed to connect to the wall… As you can probably tell, we are not the best with technology.
What I love about being here in the community of Great West Life is that everyone seems like family. For example, one of the staff members that I have the chance to work with brought cheesecake for all of us! One of the best parts about this opportunity, in my opinion, is that I have a Shad intern buddy and that I get to dress as a business professional. The COOLEST part is that I get my own card that has my picture on it. It is basically my key to the entire building. I feel special.
Well, I hope all of you fellow Shads are enjoying your own internships!
Lisa Kim
Great West Life
Winnipeg, MB
In the short time span of 3 weeks, my intern buddy, Matthew Stewart, and I are to interview all of the Project Managers, who know all of the details for their specific project(s). By the end of this internship, with the information we have gathered, we will have updated the Gantt chart. For those of you who are not too familiar with it, it is a great visual tool to display timelines and miniscule details such as start and end dates, and % complete. Since there are many many projects here, at Great West Life, the font on the Gantt chart is probably around a size 8. The chart itself is about 1 and a half metres wide and a wall high.
Today, we had meetings with three PM’s. For the first time, my intern and I had the opportunity to lead our own meetings. To prepare for those meetings, we were to print out Status Reports, which are reviews of the projects. I ended up wasting quite a few dead trees, but we have a special shredding company that comes in and recycles the shreds after. Before the meetings, we ran into issues with the Data Hub, since we did not realize that there was a cord that was supposed to connect to the wall… As you can probably tell, we are not the best with technology.
What I love about being here in the community of Great West Life is that everyone seems like family. For example, one of the staff members that I have the chance to work with brought cheesecake for all of us! One of the best parts about this opportunity, in my opinion, is that I have a Shad intern buddy and that I get to dress as a business professional. The COOLEST part is that I get my own card that has my picture on it. It is basically my key to the entire building. I feel special.
Well, I hope all of you fellow Shads are enjoying your own internships!
Lisa Kim
Great West Life
Winnipeg, MB
Thursday, August 18
August 18
Watershed Capital Partners has a positive work environment with a friendly atmosphere. The company is located in Waterfront, a large transit station in Vancouver with a SeaBus and a SkyTrain. With four other Shads here, the job is enjoyable!
Every day begins with a similar routine. I wake up, take two buses (and occasionally a SkyTrain) to the office, and then begin tweeting. Yes, Twitter. Watershed Capital Partners maintains and updates Natural Gas in Europe, Natural Gas for Asia, and Natural Gas for America. These social media websites post news about gas and oil. My job is to spread these articles across the web quickly and efficiently. How does a company do that with current technology? Twitter! During my internship I have learned how to use Twitter effectively; instead of tweeting about Justin Bieber I tweet about countries debating over shale gas.
Around one o’clock we have a lunch break. There are many choices of lunch in Vancouver; one of the best is a bacon ice cream sandwich from Meat & Bread. Check this restaurant out if you are in town!
After updating the Twitters I have another task which involves sleuthing the web for important people. I compile lists of people mentioned in past news articles, which is fun but takes times. After that I search for their contact information, by which I mean email. It is much harder than it seems; in some cases finding a house address is easier than finding an email address!
At four o’clock our work day ends. This time I take the SeaBus home. Now to rest up for tomorrow!
It has been a great experience to be an intern at Watershed and I am excited for the days to come! A huge thank you to Shad Valley and Watershed for this opportunity!
Kiersten Mort
Watershed Capital Partners
Vancouver, BC
Every day begins with a similar routine. I wake up, take two buses (and occasionally a SkyTrain) to the office, and then begin tweeting. Yes, Twitter. Watershed Capital Partners maintains and updates Natural Gas in Europe, Natural Gas for Asia, and Natural Gas for America. These social media websites post news about gas and oil. My job is to spread these articles across the web quickly and efficiently. How does a company do that with current technology? Twitter! During my internship I have learned how to use Twitter effectively; instead of tweeting about Justin Bieber I tweet about countries debating over shale gas.
Around one o’clock we have a lunch break. There are many choices of lunch in Vancouver; one of the best is a bacon ice cream sandwich from Meat & Bread. Check this restaurant out if you are in town!
After updating the Twitters I have another task which involves sleuthing the web for important people. I compile lists of people mentioned in past news articles, which is fun but takes times. After that I search for their contact information, by which I mean email. It is much harder than it seems; in some cases finding a house address is easier than finding an email address!
At four o’clock our work day ends. This time I take the SeaBus home. Now to rest up for tomorrow!
It has been a great experience to be an intern at Watershed and I am excited for the days to come! A huge thank you to Shad Valley and Watershed for this opportunity!
Kiersten Mort
Watershed Capital Partners
Vancouver, BC
August 18
Here I am, three weeks into my internship here at MTS Allstream and all I have to say is “Wow”. For those who are unfamiliar with MTS Allstream, we are a telecommunications company that deals mainly with corporations. To be completely honest I had no idea what I was going to be doing when I came in on my first day. It was overwhelming to hear about all the projects that I would have to tackle, all at once, but, I wouldn’t have liked it any other way.
A large company such as MTS Allstream needs to have all their resources organized and have a network for sharing information. The fact of the matter is that good resource management is particularly difficult to maintain as a company expands. It is exactly these types of issues that are difficult to handle and cost the company immeasurable amounts of money, and not just MTS Allstream but most likely all of the large corporations you can name off the top of your head. This is where I jump in, in no means as a miracle worker that will finish all of the projects in 4 weeks, but just here to build enough of a foundation to get these projects off the ground.
Now onto the projects, I’m working on creating an inventory management system for those who work in the local Technology Lab so that units in the lab can be cataloged. As simple as it sounds, keeping track of hundreds of machines and all the cables that connect everything together is not easy. Another project involves creating a centralized information management system for this department. The chosen method of implementation is a website with a Wikipedia-like structure. Much work remains as we continue revamping the entire appearance of the site, enabling certain add-ons and creating user accounts, building and fleshing out the very basic, skeletal design of Wikipedia. The last project that I’m working on is a virtual learning environment, an online method of training new employees. The idea is to provide an easily accessible place for teaching tools consisting of documents and tutorial videos.
This is the first time I’ve worked in the IT Industry at all, and as expected with any new field, the learning curve was tremendous. The challenge of adapting to a new environment, self-teaching new tools and processes and being expected to produce something within such a short period of time had struck me as a new kind of challenge. Nothing has ever demanded so much from be before, pushed me to learn so quickly or pushed my boundaries the way that this internship has.
The opportunity that I have been provided with here at MTS Allstream has really been unique, a “learn as you work” process which I have never experienced before. Learning exactly how to work effectively and learn efficiently at the same time will be a valuable skill that I do not think I could have developed anywhere else. Thank You MTS Allstream, and everyone in the Technology Development Department for this opportunity and this wonderful learning experience.
Sherwin Wong
Technology Development, MTS Allstream
Toronto, ON
A large company such as MTS Allstream needs to have all their resources organized and have a network for sharing information. The fact of the matter is that good resource management is particularly difficult to maintain as a company expands. It is exactly these types of issues that are difficult to handle and cost the company immeasurable amounts of money, and not just MTS Allstream but most likely all of the large corporations you can name off the top of your head. This is where I jump in, in no means as a miracle worker that will finish all of the projects in 4 weeks, but just here to build enough of a foundation to get these projects off the ground.
Now onto the projects, I’m working on creating an inventory management system for those who work in the local Technology Lab so that units in the lab can be cataloged. As simple as it sounds, keeping track of hundreds of machines and all the cables that connect everything together is not easy. Another project involves creating a centralized information management system for this department. The chosen method of implementation is a website with a Wikipedia-like structure. Much work remains as we continue revamping the entire appearance of the site, enabling certain add-ons and creating user accounts, building and fleshing out the very basic, skeletal design of Wikipedia. The last project that I’m working on is a virtual learning environment, an online method of training new employees. The idea is to provide an easily accessible place for teaching tools consisting of documents and tutorial videos.
This is the first time I’ve worked in the IT Industry at all, and as expected with any new field, the learning curve was tremendous. The challenge of adapting to a new environment, self-teaching new tools and processes and being expected to produce something within such a short period of time had struck me as a new kind of challenge. Nothing has ever demanded so much from be before, pushed me to learn so quickly or pushed my boundaries the way that this internship has.
The opportunity that I have been provided with here at MTS Allstream has really been unique, a “learn as you work” process which I have never experienced before. Learning exactly how to work effectively and learn efficiently at the same time will be a valuable skill that I do not think I could have developed anywhere else. Thank You MTS Allstream, and everyone in the Technology Development Department for this opportunity and this wonderful learning experience.
Sherwin Wong
Technology Development, MTS Allstream
Toronto, ON
August 18
18 days ago, I began what would turn out to be an incredibly riveting experience. Having been told I had no set 8-hour work day, I was very intrigued as to where my internship would be headed. However, as time progressed, I realized that the project-oriented schedule for Science Expo was really engaging and far beyond my high expectations.
Science Expo aims to promote STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – within the youth population. It hopes to act as a foundation and network for STEM opportunities to engage and propel individuals to new levels of interest and involvement.
I’ve been working on several projects throughout my internship, including increasing our social network through Facebook, Twitter and Linked-in (Follow us!), providing daily STEM opportunity and news updates, and modifying various aspects of our website. Every project here is unique; there are so many different aspects of the organization to be involved with and so many new things to learn every day.
It’s been a terrific three weeks so far and I look forward to many more great weeks to come. Thank you to Science Expo and Shad Valley for giving me this incredible opportunity.
Daniel Zhang
Science Expo
Toronto, ON
Science Expo aims to promote STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – within the youth population. It hopes to act as a foundation and network for STEM opportunities to engage and propel individuals to new levels of interest and involvement.
I’ve been working on several projects throughout my internship, including increasing our social network through Facebook, Twitter and Linked-in (Follow us!), providing daily STEM opportunity and news updates, and modifying various aspects of our website. Every project here is unique; there are so many different aspects of the organization to be involved with and so many new things to learn every day.
It’s been a terrific three weeks so far and I look forward to many more great weeks to come. Thank you to Science Expo and Shad Valley for giving me this incredible opportunity.
Daniel Zhang
Science Expo
Toronto, ON
Wednesday, August 17
August 17
Wow, it’s already halfway through the month of August. It really hasn’t felt like it’s been 2 1/2 weeks here at RBC, time flies by so fast. I’ve been spending my time wrapped up in some of RBC’s Digital Collaboration innovations, particularly helping to outline videos that might be used to introduce innovation into the company in the future.
Overall, the day feels just like any average day in an office. Get in around 9:00 in the morning. Work until around 5:00 in the afternoon. Eat lunch sometime around noon. Go to the occasional meeting. What makes working at RBC so special are the little things, like being shown a video augmented reality concepts, getting to see some of the latest innovations that RBC is using, or standing in front of a TV watching an image of yourself with an Iron Man helmet superimposed on your face. The atmosphere here is so open that I felt like a full-time team member from the minute I arrived, even though I’m only here for five weeks.
Having an internship at RBC is one of the best things to stave off Shad Withdrawal (and yes, that’s a real thing). The culture here is so similar to Shad that you start to fall back into month-old habits. Just when I thought I’d adjusted away from Shad pace, I started walking to lunch 40% slower than normal each day. Unfortunately I can’t talk too much about what I’m up to myself, because most of the work I’m doing is on a project that is still in the early stages, but when you’re spending half a day taking screen captures of a Prezi (screen presentation) you made because your boss told you to, you realize that your internship has officially reached new levels of ridiculously cool.
Getting to work at RBC this summer is an experience I’m never going to forget, and I’m glad that I had the chance to spend August here.
Alex Perelgut
Digital Collaboration, RBC
Toronto, ON
Overall, the day feels just like any average day in an office. Get in around 9:00 in the morning. Work until around 5:00 in the afternoon. Eat lunch sometime around noon. Go to the occasional meeting. What makes working at RBC so special are the little things, like being shown a video augmented reality concepts, getting to see some of the latest innovations that RBC is using, or standing in front of a TV watching an image of yourself with an Iron Man helmet superimposed on your face. The atmosphere here is so open that I felt like a full-time team member from the minute I arrived, even though I’m only here for five weeks.
Having an internship at RBC is one of the best things to stave off Shad Withdrawal (and yes, that’s a real thing). The culture here is so similar to Shad that you start to fall back into month-old habits. Just when I thought I’d adjusted away from Shad pace, I started walking to lunch 40% slower than normal each day. Unfortunately I can’t talk too much about what I’m up to myself, because most of the work I’m doing is on a project that is still in the early stages, but when you’re spending half a day taking screen captures of a Prezi (screen presentation) you made because your boss told you to, you realize that your internship has officially reached new levels of ridiculously cool.
Getting to work at RBC this summer is an experience I’m never going to forget, and I’m glad that I had the chance to spend August here.
Alex Perelgut
Digital Collaboration, RBC
Toronto, ON
August 17
Ideal Job Checklist:
• Passionate about the work
• Friendly people
• Comfortable working environment
• Interesting
• Learning new things
• Encourages growth
• Challenging
My internship with the Research and Development Corporation, RDC, succeeded in matching any expectations I had. The checklist offered it no competition! What’s more, it went beyond anything I could have imagined prior to starting off. Like everyone else, I had hoped for an internship I could look forward to everyday. Something that was in my area of interest. Something “life-changing”, which would truly open my eyes and motivate me further. Who knew I would get so lucky!
Research and Development Corporation is a research organization that prioritizes areas of development in the province, and funds projects and research performers to encourage growth.
What am I doing? My projects will be focused on Medical R&D!!! Why so excited you may be wondering? Remember that section above; highlighting the importance of working on something you are passionate about? It so turns out that in my case, this passion is medicine. Medical research has always been an area of great interest to me. When I was told that I would have the chance to do background research in this area, I was ecstatic!
I have been given a wide variety of tasks, to expose me to different aspects of R&D. From making statistic tables to represent expenditures in the field, to reading about what the top researchers in Canada are researching, and trying to prioritize possible areas to fund, I have certainly learned a lot! Currently, I am working on two projects. One is a detailed look into the health care system. The other is research into regenerative medicine and its potential to cure diseases. This particular area has truly inspired me and I cannot wait to learn even more about it!
My co-workers have all played an essential role in making sure I am well adapted and getting the most out of the experience. Joe, who has guided me throughout the entire process, offered the right amount of support and encouragement to make me feel comfortable in my new work environment.
I feel so lucky to have been able to continue my learning experience beyond Shad. My internship has given me a new perspective and a sense of understanding for things I would have otherwise not appreciated. In just a couple of weeks, I have opened my mind to new knowledge and feel sincerely improved by the opportunity. I am more motivated and inspired to reach new goals. The learning journey is eternally ongoing.
Ioana Dobre
Research and Development Corporation
St. John’s, NL
• Passionate about the work
• Friendly people
• Comfortable working environment
• Interesting
• Learning new things
• Encourages growth
• Challenging
My internship with the Research and Development Corporation, RDC, succeeded in matching any expectations I had. The checklist offered it no competition! What’s more, it went beyond anything I could have imagined prior to starting off. Like everyone else, I had hoped for an internship I could look forward to everyday. Something that was in my area of interest. Something “life-changing”, which would truly open my eyes and motivate me further. Who knew I would get so lucky!
Research and Development Corporation is a research organization that prioritizes areas of development in the province, and funds projects and research performers to encourage growth.
What am I doing? My projects will be focused on Medical R&D!!! Why so excited you may be wondering? Remember that section above; highlighting the importance of working on something you are passionate about? It so turns out that in my case, this passion is medicine. Medical research has always been an area of great interest to me. When I was told that I would have the chance to do background research in this area, I was ecstatic!
I have been given a wide variety of tasks, to expose me to different aspects of R&D. From making statistic tables to represent expenditures in the field, to reading about what the top researchers in Canada are researching, and trying to prioritize possible areas to fund, I have certainly learned a lot! Currently, I am working on two projects. One is a detailed look into the health care system. The other is research into regenerative medicine and its potential to cure diseases. This particular area has truly inspired me and I cannot wait to learn even more about it!
My co-workers have all played an essential role in making sure I am well adapted and getting the most out of the experience. Joe, who has guided me throughout the entire process, offered the right amount of support and encouragement to make me feel comfortable in my new work environment.
I feel so lucky to have been able to continue my learning experience beyond Shad. My internship has given me a new perspective and a sense of understanding for things I would have otherwise not appreciated. In just a couple of weeks, I have opened my mind to new knowledge and feel sincerely improved by the opportunity. I am more motivated and inspired to reach new goals. The learning journey is eternally ongoing.
Ioana Dobre
Research and Development Corporation
St. John’s, NL
August 17
Within western culture, one of the milestones marking the sacred rite of passage from childhood to adulthood for many youth is their first day of work. Having been fortunate enough to have never been required to take on such a role ‘prematurely’, the thought of such a day arising gave me heightened (and unworldly) feelings of excitement. Thus, you can imagine my excitement when the day finally arrived.
It is with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA)- a huge globally renowned multimillion dollar corporation- to which I was offered this unforgettable experience, and so far, it has been an incredible journey.
For four weeks during August, I am, and will continue to be working on areas within the corporation such as Business Continuity and Business Security. To date, some of the many things I have been working on include: redrafting company emergency plans, updating business continuity documents and filing old security clearances. As an employee of MDA, I was even required to obtain my own security clearance and currently use a special keycard to get in and around the building- something I still find very exciting!
This morning, after going to my office using said method, I redrafted MDA’s corporate Flood Preparedness Plan. Afterwards, I was tasked with reading through a stack of documents pertaining to the handling of classified materials. Very interesting, and definitely not the type of thing you learn in school!
In all sincerity, each day working at MDA is truly rewarding. As one employee amongst 800, I am honoured and inspired to be working with people who show constant dedication and passion for what they do on a daily basis. Working with MDA has been an eye-opening and valuable experience, and I am so grateful to have been offered this amazing opportunity!
Gloria Kim
MDA
Richmond, BC
It is with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA)- a huge globally renowned multimillion dollar corporation- to which I was offered this unforgettable experience, and so far, it has been an incredible journey.
For four weeks during August, I am, and will continue to be working on areas within the corporation such as Business Continuity and Business Security. To date, some of the many things I have been working on include: redrafting company emergency plans, updating business continuity documents and filing old security clearances. As an employee of MDA, I was even required to obtain my own security clearance and currently use a special keycard to get in and around the building- something I still find very exciting!
This morning, after going to my office using said method, I redrafted MDA’s corporate Flood Preparedness Plan. Afterwards, I was tasked with reading through a stack of documents pertaining to the handling of classified materials. Very interesting, and definitely not the type of thing you learn in school!
In all sincerity, each day working at MDA is truly rewarding. As one employee amongst 800, I am honoured and inspired to be working with people who show constant dedication and passion for what they do on a daily basis. Working with MDA has been an eye-opening and valuable experience, and I am so grateful to have been offered this amazing opportunity!
Gloria Kim
MDA
Richmond, BC
Tuesday, August 16
August 16
This is my third week as an intern at Move, Inc., a company which operates a network of real estate websites such as REALTOR.com and MOVE.com. These websites are for both consumers as well as real estate professionals.
So far, I have been assigned two projects. The first project is an analysis of Move.com's competitors, or other real estate search engines. However, this was an unusual competitive analysis. This analysis focused more on the visual side of things: how do the design elements on the website relate to the demographic the site targets? How is the website branded? What special features do the websites have to differentiate themselves from the competitor? I am interested in web design, so it was very fascinating to look at websites in-depth and analyze their tools and design.
The second project I’ve been assigned to do is to create a graphic representation of a new concept for the search results page. This is the project I am currently working on, and it is very enjoyable. As I mentioned earlier, I have a personal interest in graphic and web design, so this project is very relevant to my interests.
Aside from working on the projects, I’ve also been able to find out how it would be like to work in an office environment. Attending video conferences and talking to people from an area, taking part in a workshop about career building, snacking in my cubicle at 3:00 – all these experiences have been worthwhile (well, except for maybe the snacking one) in helping me find out about what I want to do in the future. My internship experience has been great so far!
Christalle Chow
Move, Inc.
Richmond, BC
So far, I have been assigned two projects. The first project is an analysis of Move.com's competitors, or other real estate search engines. However, this was an unusual competitive analysis. This analysis focused more on the visual side of things: how do the design elements on the website relate to the demographic the site targets? How is the website branded? What special features do the websites have to differentiate themselves from the competitor? I am interested in web design, so it was very fascinating to look at websites in-depth and analyze their tools and design.
The second project I’ve been assigned to do is to create a graphic representation of a new concept for the search results page. This is the project I am currently working on, and it is very enjoyable. As I mentioned earlier, I have a personal interest in graphic and web design, so this project is very relevant to my interests.
Aside from working on the projects, I’ve also been able to find out how it would be like to work in an office environment. Attending video conferences and talking to people from an area, taking part in a workshop about career building, snacking in my cubicle at 3:00 – all these experiences have been worthwhile (well, except for maybe the snacking one) in helping me find out about what I want to do in the future. My internship experience has been great so far!
Christalle Chow
Move, Inc.
Richmond, BC
August 16
Myplanet Digital is the place to work. The whole place is always alive with eccentric coffee-drinking business types, designers, and engineers. I always look forward to going to work in the morning. Over the past two weeks, my intern buddy, Alex from Shad Lakehead and I have been watching two computer science MIT Opencourseware lectures and doing one assignment everyday. The goal was to learn Python, a programming language that we are going to use along with Django, a web framework. Starting next week, we will be writing a web application. I am very excited for this!
This morning started off with experimenting with Django. This included a lot of debugging code. We were learning how to transfer databases from different projects, and linking templates to information. After lunch, Matt, a Shad alum who has been working at Myplanet for a few months, gave us a session on the basics of using Django. After that, we attended an Illustrator crash course in which almost everyone in the office participated.
So far, I have been enjoying every second of working at Myplanet. Everyone is so friendly and enthusiastic. I’ve taken part of a brainstorming session on one of the whiteboard walls. I’ve also missed both of their after work dinners and an excursion to the AGO, but I am looking forward to the next event. At this internship, I have learned so much in such a short period of time. This experience provides me not only with work experience, but also a chance to develop my work ethic, and the opportunity to work with and learn from others.
Priscilla Yung
MyPlanet Digital
Toronto, ON
This morning started off with experimenting with Django. This included a lot of debugging code. We were learning how to transfer databases from different projects, and linking templates to information. After lunch, Matt, a Shad alum who has been working at Myplanet for a few months, gave us a session on the basics of using Django. After that, we attended an Illustrator crash course in which almost everyone in the office participated.
So far, I have been enjoying every second of working at Myplanet. Everyone is so friendly and enthusiastic. I’ve taken part of a brainstorming session on one of the whiteboard walls. I’ve also missed both of their after work dinners and an excursion to the AGO, but I am looking forward to the next event. At this internship, I have learned so much in such a short period of time. This experience provides me not only with work experience, but also a chance to develop my work ethic, and the opportunity to work with and learn from others.
Priscilla Yung
MyPlanet Digital
Toronto, ON
August 16
This summer, I was very fortunate to have been chosen for an internship opportunity at Hatch. My first week working as an intern had been full of new and exciting experiences. The opportunities at Hatch gave me my first glimpse into what it is like to work in the real world. For the past week, a fellow Shad and I were introduced to the world of Hatch. We were given our own working space and many interesting tasks that challenged and educated us.
For example, an engineer working for Hatch introduced us to the work involved in mineral processing and taught us to solve mining related mass balancing equations. Through the process, we not only learned about mining but also about how to solve problems creatively, just like real engineers do. Some other hands-on experiences included doing research on underground cables. We then used our research information to design an underground conduit system that models real life applications in the world we live in. Because these are things that we have never been in contact with before, the experiences helped us get a better understanding of what it is really like to be an engineer and to work in the consulting industry.
So far, my favourite part about working at Hatch is meeting with the different industry professionals. Through having informal conferences with people who are truly knowledgeable and passionate about the work they do, I got to peer into potential career paths from the perspective of the people who are involved in it themselves.
I am truly grateful to be given this fantastic internship opportunity. I believe that the things I learn at Hatch will impact my university education and influence the career choices that I make in the future.
Cindy Liu
Hatch
Vancouver, BC
For example, an engineer working for Hatch introduced us to the work involved in mineral processing and taught us to solve mining related mass balancing equations. Through the process, we not only learned about mining but also about how to solve problems creatively, just like real engineers do. Some other hands-on experiences included doing research on underground cables. We then used our research information to design an underground conduit system that models real life applications in the world we live in. Because these are things that we have never been in contact with before, the experiences helped us get a better understanding of what it is really like to be an engineer and to work in the consulting industry.
So far, my favourite part about working at Hatch is meeting with the different industry professionals. Through having informal conferences with people who are truly knowledgeable and passionate about the work they do, I got to peer into potential career paths from the perspective of the people who are involved in it themselves.
I am truly grateful to be given this fantastic internship opportunity. I believe that the things I learn at Hatch will impact my university education and influence the career choices that I make in the future.
Cindy Liu
Hatch
Vancouver, BC
Monday, August 15
August 15
Ever since I have lived in Montreal, I was always amazed by its beauty, from the mysterious streets filled with antique buildings from centuries ago to the modern architecture of the main boulevards. But most importantly, I was dumbstruck by the magnificence of the skyscrapers of Place Ville Marie, the business centre of the metropolis. That’s why I have considered myself extremely lucky to be given an internship on the 36th floor of the tallest building in Montreal.
It hard to believe that I am on my last week as a student intern at the Business Development Bank of Canada, with its headquarters right here in Montreal. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect from these 3 weeks, I was pleasantly surprised how much I got out of this unique experience.
Here, there is no such thing as a “typical day”: every day is filled with novelty and challenge, even though my main responsibilities are paperwork and data entry. I had the opportunity to explore the financial world, to understand and work with venture capitalists, consultants and bankers. It was also awesome to be able to assist to a real company’s presentation, to watch how checks get printed and to see how authorizations are written.
Through these days I have also learned to understand business adults better, which knocked down many stereotypes that I used to have. No matter the age gap, I was surrounded with motivated people who appreciated my efforts and never missed a chance to greet me every morning. It felt great to be considered as an “adult”, and to be respected and trusted with responsibilities of a real employee.
On Wednesday my supervisor organized an hour meeting to give me the opportunity to present Shad Valley to the whole group. I can’t wait to share with them what happened in the best summer of my life!
Xiya Ma
Business Development Bank of Canada
Montreal, QC
It hard to believe that I am on my last week as a student intern at the Business Development Bank of Canada, with its headquarters right here in Montreal. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect from these 3 weeks, I was pleasantly surprised how much I got out of this unique experience.
Here, there is no such thing as a “typical day”: every day is filled with novelty and challenge, even though my main responsibilities are paperwork and data entry. I had the opportunity to explore the financial world, to understand and work with venture capitalists, consultants and bankers. It was also awesome to be able to assist to a real company’s presentation, to watch how checks get printed and to see how authorizations are written.
Through these days I have also learned to understand business adults better, which knocked down many stereotypes that I used to have. No matter the age gap, I was surrounded with motivated people who appreciated my efforts and never missed a chance to greet me every morning. It felt great to be considered as an “adult”, and to be respected and trusted with responsibilities of a real employee.
On Wednesday my supervisor organized an hour meeting to give me the opportunity to present Shad Valley to the whole group. I can’t wait to share with them what happened in the best summer of my life!
Xiya Ma
Business Development Bank of Canada
Montreal, QC
August 15
Augmented Reality
Semantic Web.
Generation C.
Bitcoin.
M2M.
P2P
..
..
.
Woah.
In the past two weeks that I’ve spent doing my internship, I have realized two things:
• There is a world of technology out there I had never even been able to imagine
• There is a huge curiosity about technology in me that I never knew I had
What is innovation? What makes something innovative? Why are some things innovative, while others aren’t? How do we evaluate the extent to which a technology is innovative?
These are the kinds of questions answered by the Applied Innovation Team at the Royal Bank of Canada. The Applied Innovation (AI) Team was created for the purpose of developing technology solutions that improve the quality of the service that RBC provides for its clients and employees. It is up to the AI Team to spearhead the movement in innovation at RBC, helping come up with great ideas, and then turning them into reality.
For my 5-week internship, I’ve been given three tasks to complete.
Firstly, to research the semantic properties of a visual presentation software I introduced to the group, and think of ways in which this could be useful for the bank.
Secondly, to help another intern with a project which helps the company evaluate different technologies, and see which ones should be developed so they can be applied to RBC.
Thirdly, to contribute to knowledge management at AI by reading through all the business proposals for last year’s Next Great Innovator Challenge, and categorizing them by attaching topic tags. What is the Next Great Innovator Challenge (NGI)? The NGI is an innovation competition RBC organizes every year for university students. This year’s theme will be revealed on September 1st. If you went to Shad, it’s a great opportunity to use the entrepreneurship knowledge you acquired while working on the Shad Cup project! To find out more, you can go to http://www.rbc.com/innovator/innovation-at-rbc.html.
This internship has been an incredible follow-up to an unbelievable month at Shad Laval. What a great atmosphere to be part of - the people on the team are always friendly, and open to answering any questions I have! Each time I talk to someone, I learn something new. I’m so grateful for having been given such an opportunity – I know I will be using the skills I gain now throughout the rest of my life.
So: Augmented Reality. Semantic Web.Generation C.Bitcoin. M2M. P2P….
….It was a little overwhelming for me at first (and still is) - the sheer volume of learning I am doing every day (which isn’t limited to just the field of technology). But what I know now is that this is the pace I want to learn at for the rest of my life. I never want to slow down.
Alisa Ugodnikov
Applied Innovation, Royal Bank of Canada
Toronto, ON
Semantic Web.
Generation C.
Bitcoin.
M2M.
P2P
..
..
.
Woah.
In the past two weeks that I’ve spent doing my internship, I have realized two things:
• There is a world of technology out there I had never even been able to imagine
• There is a huge curiosity about technology in me that I never knew I had
What is innovation? What makes something innovative? Why are some things innovative, while others aren’t? How do we evaluate the extent to which a technology is innovative?
These are the kinds of questions answered by the Applied Innovation Team at the Royal Bank of Canada. The Applied Innovation (AI) Team was created for the purpose of developing technology solutions that improve the quality of the service that RBC provides for its clients and employees. It is up to the AI Team to spearhead the movement in innovation at RBC, helping come up with great ideas, and then turning them into reality.
For my 5-week internship, I’ve been given three tasks to complete.
Firstly, to research the semantic properties of a visual presentation software I introduced to the group, and think of ways in which this could be useful for the bank.
Secondly, to help another intern with a project which helps the company evaluate different technologies, and see which ones should be developed so they can be applied to RBC.
Thirdly, to contribute to knowledge management at AI by reading through all the business proposals for last year’s Next Great Innovator Challenge, and categorizing them by attaching topic tags. What is the Next Great Innovator Challenge (NGI)? The NGI is an innovation competition RBC organizes every year for university students. This year’s theme will be revealed on September 1st. If you went to Shad, it’s a great opportunity to use the entrepreneurship knowledge you acquired while working on the Shad Cup project! To find out more, you can go to http://www.rbc.com/innovator/innovation-at-rbc.html.
This internship has been an incredible follow-up to an unbelievable month at Shad Laval. What a great atmosphere to be part of - the people on the team are always friendly, and open to answering any questions I have! Each time I talk to someone, I learn something new. I’m so grateful for having been given such an opportunity – I know I will be using the skills I gain now throughout the rest of my life.
So: Augmented Reality. Semantic Web.Generation C.Bitcoin. M2M. P2P….
….It was a little overwhelming for me at first (and still is) - the sheer volume of learning I am doing every day (which isn’t limited to just the field of technology). But what I know now is that this is the pace I want to learn at for the rest of my life. I never want to slow down.
Alisa Ugodnikov
Applied Innovation, Royal Bank of Canada
Toronto, ON
August 15
This summer, after Shad Valley ended, I was hired as an intern at Enermodal Engineering. Enermodal is the largest green building consulting firm in Canada so essentially, what they do is the help construct or renovate buildings so that they can achieve the Canadian or US LEED standards.
Today, I was dropped off at work bright and early. As usual, seeing the beautiful office that Enermodal has in Kitchener was shocking. It was built to achieve Platinum LEED status, and overlooks the Grand River in Kitchener. I hastily ran upstairs to the third floor where my cubicle is located and I went straight to work. The project that was assigned to me today was huge, and my supervisor had told me that they had wanted to do this for about 9 years now. The project I'm working on currently is data basing all of their past projects. My area of focus was the energy distribution among each building meaning where does the energy go in each room?
After working on this for about three days, I had finished and went to ask my supervisor for new work. He then got me started on my next project which was data basing the electricity consumption of various buildings. All in all, today, as well as my other days at Enermodal Engineering helped me cultivate new skills and opened myself to a whole new experience.
Victoria Xie
Enermodal Engineering
Waterloo, ON
Today, I was dropped off at work bright and early. As usual, seeing the beautiful office that Enermodal has in Kitchener was shocking. It was built to achieve Platinum LEED status, and overlooks the Grand River in Kitchener. I hastily ran upstairs to the third floor where my cubicle is located and I went straight to work. The project that was assigned to me today was huge, and my supervisor had told me that they had wanted to do this for about 9 years now. The project I'm working on currently is data basing all of their past projects. My area of focus was the energy distribution among each building meaning where does the energy go in each room?
After working on this for about three days, I had finished and went to ask my supervisor for new work. He then got me started on my next project which was data basing the electricity consumption of various buildings. All in all, today, as well as my other days at Enermodal Engineering helped me cultivate new skills and opened myself to a whole new experience.
Victoria Xie
Enermodal Engineering
Waterloo, ON
Friday, August 12
August 12
My role as an intern in Medavie Blue Cross's communications department is to investigate the possible uses of social media for Medavie Blue Cross. Because my Shad internship position was confirmed well in advance, by the end of April, I had enough time to do background reading on social media in preparation for my internship.
The knowledge I gained through background reading was very useful this week, which was spent researching and writing a document for providing background information about the use of social media in the insurance industry. I veritably enjoyed my assignment this week; it was exciting to know that something I contributed to would be used by Medavie Blue Cross to make decisions concerning social media.
Although I'm only a week into my month-long internship, I can say with confidence that my Shad internship will be a formative experience for me. To date, I've found the people at Medavie Blue Cross upbeat and welcoming and the work interesting, different from what I've experienced on my own, at school, and at Shad. Working the typical eight-to-four/nine-to-five workday and working in an office environment are both new experiences for me and I am glad that I am having them in a supportive work environment like that found at Medavie Blue Cross.
I thank both Shad Valley and Medavie Blue Cross for this opportunity.
Aurelie Pare
Medavie Blue Cross
Moncton, NB
The knowledge I gained through background reading was very useful this week, which was spent researching and writing a document for providing background information about the use of social media in the insurance industry. I veritably enjoyed my assignment this week; it was exciting to know that something I contributed to would be used by Medavie Blue Cross to make decisions concerning social media.
Although I'm only a week into my month-long internship, I can say with confidence that my Shad internship will be a formative experience for me. To date, I've found the people at Medavie Blue Cross upbeat and welcoming and the work interesting, different from what I've experienced on my own, at school, and at Shad. Working the typical eight-to-four/nine-to-five workday and working in an office environment are both new experiences for me and I am glad that I am having them in a supportive work environment like that found at Medavie Blue Cross.
I thank both Shad Valley and Medavie Blue Cross for this opportunity.
Aurelie Pare
Medavie Blue Cross
Moncton, NB
August 12
The past week I have been working on the Terra Nova FPSO project at Wood Group PSN. Over the past week I’ve learned that the FPSO, stands for Floating Production Storage and Offloading, which basically means a gigantic boat that drills for and stores crude oil. PSN does a wide variety of different work on Terra Nova, from fixing leaking pipes to ensuring that the entire system can withstand increasing hydrogen sulphide concentrations in the oil. Wood Group PSN also works on the Hibernia platform, and I spent last week with people working on that project.
I started today by searching online for a piece of equipment that could possibly make the jobs of piping assemblers easier and safer. I later learned how to decipher the acronym filled and sometimes confusing piping drawings that seem to be everywhere throughout the office. After lunch I was given a pile of documents to proof read and check for grammar. I was just starting the 94 page “Topside H2S Distribution Study Report”, when the receptionist announced to everyone that there was cake in the lunchroom! It turned out that today was the day when PSN got a big birthday cake for everyone with birthdays in August. Needless to say, it made the proofreading a bit more enjoyable.
Over the last two weeks I’ve had a great opportunity to experience an office environment and find out what a career in engineering could look like. I have also learned a ton about the oil and gas industry, such as the huge importance the industry places on safety. Being safe, not just on offshore platforms and manufacturing warehouses, but also in offices is the first priority of many of these companies, and PSN for certain. This internship has been a very informative experience so far, and I look forward to the next two weeks!
Alex MacKay
Wood Group PSN
St. John’s, NL
I started today by searching online for a piece of equipment that could possibly make the jobs of piping assemblers easier and safer. I later learned how to decipher the acronym filled and sometimes confusing piping drawings that seem to be everywhere throughout the office. After lunch I was given a pile of documents to proof read and check for grammar. I was just starting the 94 page “Topside H2S Distribution Study Report”, when the receptionist announced to everyone that there was cake in the lunchroom! It turned out that today was the day when PSN got a big birthday cake for everyone with birthdays in August. Needless to say, it made the proofreading a bit more enjoyable.
Over the last two weeks I’ve had a great opportunity to experience an office environment and find out what a career in engineering could look like. I have also learned a ton about the oil and gas industry, such as the huge importance the industry places on safety. Being safe, not just on offshore platforms and manufacturing warehouses, but also in offices is the first priority of many of these companies, and PSN for certain. This internship has been a very informative experience so far, and I look forward to the next two weeks!
Alex MacKay
Wood Group PSN
St. John’s, NL
August 12
Growing up, summer vacation meant one thing…sleeping in.
So, imagine my surprise this year when my internship employer tells me my workdays start at 8:00 am. All I have to say is…if I have to get up…I am beyond glad that it is to go and work as a technician at TBT Engineering!
So I could write about how TBT is Northern Ontario’s largest independently owned civil engineering consulting firm, or about how we have clients from all around Canada to who we provide unbeatable quality services on a wide range of projects (through planning, design, investigation, and construction phases), or maybe a little about how we have over 40 years of experience. Although all pluses, these are not the reasons why I love working at TBT.
Firstly, there is a lot of variety in the work I do. I go back and forth between working in the field and working in the lab. When I do field work, I get the opportunities to shadow more experienced consultants at work during jobs, see how nuclear gauges are used, concrete testing, and how our consultants interact with our clients and the workers. Moreover, I see how they are able to deal with problems in such an efficient manner with such a calm attitude and clear head.
Whenever I work in the lab, it always pushes my comfort zone! I use to shy away from anything hands on, mainly because I sometimes (often) tend to be a bit (very) clumsy. However, at the lab, everyone is encouraging and lets me participate in the testing. And as the weeks progress, I’m gaining more confidence with doing hands-on work, a lesson that I can definitely benefit from in the future! Some of the work that I’ve participated in so far includes proctors, gradations, and maintenance. A proctor is a higher priority task where we are given a sample from a client and must determine its optimum moisture content through a compaction process. Gradation is my favourite (and the work that I get to do the most). It involves using a machine we call the Gillson and a lot of dust! The purpose of it is to record the masses of the different sizes of stone in a sample, to ensure that these numbers are in accordance with industry standards. And there’s maintenance, which is cleaning the work area and equipment. But, of course, this is all done while listening to a wide range of music (from Queen to Lady Gaga to the more than occasional employee bursting into song)!
Another reason why I love my internship (besides the striking view of Mount McKay from the Corporate & Engineering Office), the fact that I can use “we” to describe TBT. The people I work with really are like a second family! We get the work done, but at the same time we have fun while we do it! Some co-workers even helped me study SAT words during breaks, while others “improved” my music taste (i.e. told me to listen to songs made before I was born). Moreover, I can ask them questions about anything: engineering, work, science, university…
Overall, this experience has been wonderful! I’ve bettered my interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills, gained confidence with hands-on work and work experience, and learned more about engineering and the importance of teamwork. It is everybody’s ability to work cohesively and contribute to the whole that enables TBT to be as successful as it is.
So now when you ask me if I’d prefer the extra sleep or TBT, you can understand why ten times out of ten, I’ll happily say TBT!
Gurleen Chahal
TBT Engineering
Thunder Bay, ON
So, imagine my surprise this year when my internship employer tells me my workdays start at 8:00 am. All I have to say is…if I have to get up…I am beyond glad that it is to go and work as a technician at TBT Engineering!
So I could write about how TBT is Northern Ontario’s largest independently owned civil engineering consulting firm, or about how we have clients from all around Canada to who we provide unbeatable quality services on a wide range of projects (through planning, design, investigation, and construction phases), or maybe a little about how we have over 40 years of experience. Although all pluses, these are not the reasons why I love working at TBT.
Firstly, there is a lot of variety in the work I do. I go back and forth between working in the field and working in the lab. When I do field work, I get the opportunities to shadow more experienced consultants at work during jobs, see how nuclear gauges are used, concrete testing, and how our consultants interact with our clients and the workers. Moreover, I see how they are able to deal with problems in such an efficient manner with such a calm attitude and clear head.
Whenever I work in the lab, it always pushes my comfort zone! I use to shy away from anything hands on, mainly because I sometimes (often) tend to be a bit (very) clumsy. However, at the lab, everyone is encouraging and lets me participate in the testing. And as the weeks progress, I’m gaining more confidence with doing hands-on work, a lesson that I can definitely benefit from in the future! Some of the work that I’ve participated in so far includes proctors, gradations, and maintenance. A proctor is a higher priority task where we are given a sample from a client and must determine its optimum moisture content through a compaction process. Gradation is my favourite (and the work that I get to do the most). It involves using a machine we call the Gillson and a lot of dust! The purpose of it is to record the masses of the different sizes of stone in a sample, to ensure that these numbers are in accordance with industry standards. And there’s maintenance, which is cleaning the work area and equipment. But, of course, this is all done while listening to a wide range of music (from Queen to Lady Gaga to the more than occasional employee bursting into song)!
Another reason why I love my internship (besides the striking view of Mount McKay from the Corporate & Engineering Office), the fact that I can use “we” to describe TBT. The people I work with really are like a second family! We get the work done, but at the same time we have fun while we do it! Some co-workers even helped me study SAT words during breaks, while others “improved” my music taste (i.e. told me to listen to songs made before I was born). Moreover, I can ask them questions about anything: engineering, work, science, university…
Overall, this experience has been wonderful! I’ve bettered my interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills, gained confidence with hands-on work and work experience, and learned more about engineering and the importance of teamwork. It is everybody’s ability to work cohesively and contribute to the whole that enables TBT to be as successful as it is.
So now when you ask me if I’d prefer the extra sleep or TBT, you can understand why ten times out of ten, I’ll happily say TBT!
Gurleen Chahal
TBT Engineering
Thunder Bay, ON
Thursday, August 11
August 11
Every time you pour a glass of crystal clear water right from the tap (this is where most of your bottled water comes from anyway), every time you push the flush handle on a toilet, every time you water your crisp green lawn in the middle of a hot summer (jumping over the sprinkler), have you ever wondered where the water comes from? How does water, born in faraway streams or lakes, create miniature waterfalls right in our sinks?
Well let me tell you, all of this would have not been possible if it was not for the hard work and problem solving skills of our dedicated engineers. Without their work you cannot even imagine what life would be like. Put yourself in the shoes of a teenager living in a third world country. Every day you will have to walk for hours under the hot blazing sun in order to retrieve a bucket of muddy and potentially infected water. This is the power of engineering. Haven’t you heard? Engineers are considered the leading pioneers of the 21st century, solving tough global issues with innovative thinking and approaches.
This summer I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to intern with Stantec, an engineering consultant. It is one of the biggest and most reputable firms in North America, and is striving to increase its presence and recognition internationally. Amazingly Stantec was founded right here in Alberta almost sixty years ago.
So what have I learnt? Water treatment is dirty business, literally. From pretreatment (chemical additives are put in to reduce the odour, make floating particles clump together, and adjust the pH). Then the water goes through to clarification (settling large particles out), and next filtration (to remove smaller particles). Lastly the water is disinfected, either by adding sodium hypochlorite (for the chemistry geeks out there) or with UV light, to kill all the virus and bacteria so you do not get sick. This is just the basics. As well engineers have to evaluate the environmental impacts of water treatment plants on marine life, forests and rivers or lakes, and surrounding communities then take everything into account when they are designing the facility.
Here I am working on my own independent project (which is not at all independent really, since I am always asking for help) on finding cities or towns in western Canada that are underserved and would potentially need our expertise. Furthermore I am looking into industries that use large amounts of water; from oil and gas to breweries and vineyards. I am glad that my work is being valued since I will get the opportunity to present my findings to the group afterwards. Everybody here is so welcoming and willing to help out a high school student. My experience here has been Stantastic!
I will never look at tap water the way I did before.
Rose Sun
Stantec Consulting
Calgary, AB
Well let me tell you, all of this would have not been possible if it was not for the hard work and problem solving skills of our dedicated engineers. Without their work you cannot even imagine what life would be like. Put yourself in the shoes of a teenager living in a third world country. Every day you will have to walk for hours under the hot blazing sun in order to retrieve a bucket of muddy and potentially infected water. This is the power of engineering. Haven’t you heard? Engineers are considered the leading pioneers of the 21st century, solving tough global issues with innovative thinking and approaches.
This summer I was lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to intern with Stantec, an engineering consultant. It is one of the biggest and most reputable firms in North America, and is striving to increase its presence and recognition internationally. Amazingly Stantec was founded right here in Alberta almost sixty years ago.
So what have I learnt? Water treatment is dirty business, literally. From pretreatment (chemical additives are put in to reduce the odour, make floating particles clump together, and adjust the pH). Then the water goes through to clarification (settling large particles out), and next filtration (to remove smaller particles). Lastly the water is disinfected, either by adding sodium hypochlorite (for the chemistry geeks out there) or with UV light, to kill all the virus and bacteria so you do not get sick. This is just the basics. As well engineers have to evaluate the environmental impacts of water treatment plants on marine life, forests and rivers or lakes, and surrounding communities then take everything into account when they are designing the facility.
Here I am working on my own independent project (which is not at all independent really, since I am always asking for help) on finding cities or towns in western Canada that are underserved and would potentially need our expertise. Furthermore I am looking into industries that use large amounts of water; from oil and gas to breweries and vineyards. I am glad that my work is being valued since I will get the opportunity to present my findings to the group afterwards. Everybody here is so welcoming and willing to help out a high school student. My experience here has been Stantastic!
I will never look at tap water the way I did before.
Rose Sun
Stantec Consulting
Calgary, AB
August 11
Medtronic Inc. is at the forefront of biomedical engineering in the research, design and manufacture of instruments that contribute to human welfare. With roughly 40,000 employees worldwide, I am fortunate to be an intern at a global leader that empowers the development of medical technology that restores the health of millions of patients.
Today marks the 8th day of my internship and my work pertaining to medical technology assessment. I primarily work with the Director of Medical Technology Assessment in the analysis of the economic value and health benefits of current and upcoming medical devices developed by Medtronic. I am also focused on cost analysis research, modeling financial projections and general research on upcoming medical devices.
In the initial days of my internship, I acquired data through cost analysis research for a novel instrument known as InterStim. The acquired data was fed into financial projection models to determine the cost-effectiveness of the instrument over an extended period of time. I am currently working on preliminary research for a novel treatment called renal sympathetic denervation.
The politics associated with this research and analysis is what makes this work so engaging. The financial projections are targeted towards the government and intended to prove that despite the initial cost of these instruments, it is more cost-effective in the long term perspective. With this in mind, factors that add to the complexity include the 4 years terms of the government and assortment of other treatment options available. By the end of this internship, my objective is to develop a couple of research abstracts, which may actually get published, and will aid Medtronic in demonstrating the commercial and economic viability of these technologies.
Ultimately, the opportunity to intern at such a reputable company has facilitated experiences which have truly allowed me to acquire insights into the corporate world. With such dedicated co-workers, I have acquired a variety of prominent skills which will be a beneficial prospect in the future. Additionally, I have attained knowledge pertaining to the field of medical technology which has enlightened my perspective towards medicine and medical research.
I would like to thank Medtronic and Shad Valley for this stimulating opportunity and I am irrefutably looking forward to the future endeavors that this internship poses for me!
Dheevesh Arulmani
Medtronic
Mississauga, ON
Today marks the 8th day of my internship and my work pertaining to medical technology assessment. I primarily work with the Director of Medical Technology Assessment in the analysis of the economic value and health benefits of current and upcoming medical devices developed by Medtronic. I am also focused on cost analysis research, modeling financial projections and general research on upcoming medical devices.
In the initial days of my internship, I acquired data through cost analysis research for a novel instrument known as InterStim. The acquired data was fed into financial projection models to determine the cost-effectiveness of the instrument over an extended period of time. I am currently working on preliminary research for a novel treatment called renal sympathetic denervation.
The politics associated with this research and analysis is what makes this work so engaging. The financial projections are targeted towards the government and intended to prove that despite the initial cost of these instruments, it is more cost-effective in the long term perspective. With this in mind, factors that add to the complexity include the 4 years terms of the government and assortment of other treatment options available. By the end of this internship, my objective is to develop a couple of research abstracts, which may actually get published, and will aid Medtronic in demonstrating the commercial and economic viability of these technologies.
Ultimately, the opportunity to intern at such a reputable company has facilitated experiences which have truly allowed me to acquire insights into the corporate world. With such dedicated co-workers, I have acquired a variety of prominent skills which will be a beneficial prospect in the future. Additionally, I have attained knowledge pertaining to the field of medical technology which has enlightened my perspective towards medicine and medical research.
I would like to thank Medtronic and Shad Valley for this stimulating opportunity and I am irrefutably looking forward to the future endeavors that this internship poses for me!
Dheevesh Arulmani
Medtronic
Mississauga, ON
August 11
(“ 7am, waking up in the morning
Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs
Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal
Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’
Gotta get down to the bus stop
Gotta catch my bus, I see my friend…” -- Rebecca Black - Friday)
That is the way that, as students, approximately 80% of our mornings a year start – getting up early and going to school. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity of interning this month with the NB Department of Education. I get to see and work behind the scenes with clean up of the previous year and preparation of this upcoming school year here in NB. I am lucky enough to get the chance to work with different supervisors in different departments, so that I get a little taste of everything.
So far, I have worked on 3 key projects. The majority of my time so far has been spent cleaning up the data and paperwork from last year’s provincial assessments, and that is the main projects that I will have this month. However, I have also gotten to work on a couple of fun little projects on the side. Yesterday, I spent the day at the university, videotaping a speaker doing a grade 9-10 math conference. He was SO passionate about what he was speaking about, and it was fantastic getting to listen to him. It was a very new experience for me, but I enjoyed every minute of it. This afternoon, after more assessment work this morning, I got the chance to work on a fun artsy project. I, along with another volunteer, got to work on scrapbooking journal covers, all relating to a different topic. The goal is that the covers will inspire the students to get writing on the provided topic. Projects like these are right in my ball-park, and so I really enjoyed working on that - it was honestly so much fun.
I have only been with them for four days and have already gotten to work on three very different projects and so I can’t wait to see what they have in store for me for the next three weeks!
The people that I am working with are all fantastic. They are kind, and always helpful. I couldn’t have asked for better people to get to spend my summer with. I am so blessed to have gotten this opportunity and I can’t wait for the remainder of this learning experience, and what the NB Department of Education has in store for me! I wish everyone the best with the remainder of their internships and a good end to their summer. God bless!
Anneke Latouche
NB Education
Fredericton, NB
Gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs
Gotta have my bowl, gotta have cereal
Seein’ everything, the time is goin’
Tickin’ on and on, everybody’s rushin’
Gotta get down to the bus stop
Gotta catch my bus, I see my friend…” -- Rebecca Black - Friday)
That is the way that, as students, approximately 80% of our mornings a year start – getting up early and going to school. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity of interning this month with the NB Department of Education. I get to see and work behind the scenes with clean up of the previous year and preparation of this upcoming school year here in NB. I am lucky enough to get the chance to work with different supervisors in different departments, so that I get a little taste of everything.
So far, I have worked on 3 key projects. The majority of my time so far has been spent cleaning up the data and paperwork from last year’s provincial assessments, and that is the main projects that I will have this month. However, I have also gotten to work on a couple of fun little projects on the side. Yesterday, I spent the day at the university, videotaping a speaker doing a grade 9-10 math conference. He was SO passionate about what he was speaking about, and it was fantastic getting to listen to him. It was a very new experience for me, but I enjoyed every minute of it. This afternoon, after more assessment work this morning, I got the chance to work on a fun artsy project. I, along with another volunteer, got to work on scrapbooking journal covers, all relating to a different topic. The goal is that the covers will inspire the students to get writing on the provided topic. Projects like these are right in my ball-park, and so I really enjoyed working on that - it was honestly so much fun.
I have only been with them for four days and have already gotten to work on three very different projects and so I can’t wait to see what they have in store for me for the next three weeks!
The people that I am working with are all fantastic. They are kind, and always helpful. I couldn’t have asked for better people to get to spend my summer with. I am so blessed to have gotten this opportunity and I can’t wait for the remainder of this learning experience, and what the NB Department of Education has in store for me! I wish everyone the best with the remainder of their internships and a good end to their summer. God bless!
Anneke Latouche
NB Education
Fredericton, NB
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