As an engineering student, getting a co-op gig that provides real hands-on experience in a dynamic and highly technical environment is a huge stepping stone towards one’s career. For five University of Victoria students, their co-op terms here at Mt. Hayes have exposed them to a wide variety of learning opportunities.
“We saw the need for additional assistance in small engineering and project management tasks at Mt. Hayes,” says LNG Project Manager, Janna Gillick. “The project is a win-win for FortisBC and the co-op students. The work they do fills a need for the project team and gives them valuable, practical experience.”
Five students, over seven four-month terms, were exposed to many aspects of the work of the project, including design, construction and project management, quality control and safety practices. The students also attended weekly meetings with the contractor to discuss the project and ask questions. “It is rare for a student to be involved in a project of this magnitude, and these are significant learning opportunities most engineers will not obtain until later on in their career,” explains Janna. The co-op students are also encouraged to explore other opportunities at FortisBC, like the Engineer-in-Training program.
