Building Towards Engineering Careers
Salmon Arm Secondary Grade 10 Students Jackson Reiter (sitting) and Eli Butchart (standing) prepare the base for their group's windmill while other group members work on the propeller and toy engine.
One could call it a day where some select students built a solid foundation towards their career curiosity.
Seventeen JL Jackson and Salmon Arm Secondary students took a half-day from their classes to learn more about Engineering careers that exist in their community and beyond. The event was hosted at SAS by SD83 Careers and Thompson Rivers University's Engineering Faculty.
Former SAS Grad and Engineer in Training Lorelei Guidos explains her journey towards her engineering profession to interested students.
The first order of business was a presentation from TRU Engineering and Recruiting Advisor Thomas Johansen. He explained the Software and Computer Engineering Departments that exist in the institution, its Co-op program and some of the admission requirements needed. This was followed by Lorelei Guidos. The 2016 SAS Grad talked about her journey towards becoming an engineer. Her story was typically atypical---a strong high school achiever changing her university major twice before striving towards engineering, saying she welcomed the "challenge" that it continues to give her. Guidos works at Raptor Integrated as a Software Engineer-in-Training, travels Canada and the US with her work and is also advancing her skills in the field by studying for her Masters. She told students to not be afraid to take risks with their career and educational choices.
SAS Grade 12 student Lukas Matchim notices how when he moves the ball in his hand, the robot's head on the table adjusts as well and follows it.
From there, students were broken into two groups for the afternoon to explore two different aspects of the Engineering spectrum. One group spent time with TRU Internet Engineer and Professor Sina Keshvadi learning simple HTML, CSS and Java Script tasks. Coding with these tools, and others, is an essential skill in software engineering.
SAS Grade 10 Student Carter Kowaski pounds out his HTML code to prepare his webpage for CSS and Java Script additions in his software engineering workshop.
Students also had a chance to do some Civil and Mechanical Engineering in the school's Metalwork shop. Students had to construct a desktop windmill within 45 minutes. In student teams of four, they had to ensure that the windmill was free-standing and could support a small engine and propeller. The windmill needed the propeller to move fast enough to be able to activate the motor which then needed to be able to switch on its light. Most groups were able to do this when they completed the task.
SAS Grade 12 Student Jon Phillips and Grade 10 student Cameron Hiscock prep their engine and propeller for the wind test.
There are sampler and dual credit options for SD83 students to take advantage of before high school graduation that could help prepare students for Engineering careers. If you wish to learn more, please contact SD83 Career Education Coordinator George Richard at 778-824-1188 via text or phone or email grichard@sd83.bc.ca.