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