Q&A WITH MARIE-PHILIPPE GILL
Marie-Philippe Gill (@girlknowstech on social media), a software engineering graduate of École de technologie supérieure in Montreal, discusses her experience as an engineering student and gives her advice to future students.
What inspired you to study engineering?
When I was very young, in primary school, I started playing on neopets.com. Through this online game where we had to take care of cute imaginary animals, I started learning how to code in HTML and CSS to make my user profile pretty with graphics designed on Microsoft Paint. As the years went by, I learned how to create static HTML websites. Once I was in high school, I took IT classes every year and had an amazing teacher. He helped me to believe in myself and also to believe that even though it was a male-dominated world and I was a shy 16-year-old girl, I could make it in IT. After my three-year technical computer science diploma at CEGEP, I felt I was not done learning, and I enrolled in software engineering at ÉTS (École de technologie supérieure) in Montreal.
How do you think engineers can promote diversity and inclusion in their field?
Everyone can make a difference by being attentive to their coworkers and listening to what everyone has to say.
Small actions can be very helpful, for example making sure everyone has the chance to express their opinion during a meeting. If they haven’t, we can gently ask someone if they have any input to add to the discussion.
At the enterprise level, the Order of Engineers of Quebec created
Q&A WITH MINA DEZYANIAN
a great guide for employers with actionable steps on how to make sure to offer an inclusive workplace. It reminds us that an analysis of the current situation needs to be done on diversity (how many women and minorities), inclusion (actions that make women and other under-represented groups feel supported and respected), and equity (fair treatment considering everyone's reality) inside the organization. Open the dialogue to everyone who wants to participate, get comments on how everyone feels, and get to know the challenges faced by the minorities in your organization. Then, use data to support your analysis and establish clear objectives and an action plan to reach those targets.
How do you envision the future of engineering and what changes do you think are necessary to prepare the next generation of engineers?
That's a good question! I'm not one to make predictions about the future, but I would say every small change in health is very impressive to me. I had surgery for scoliosis 10 years ago, and there are so many changes to the surgery and technology that are helping doctors and patients to this day. I wish I had that technology back then! On the environmental side, I’m eager to see how tech can help us make changes to lessen our environmental impact as individuals and as a society. In other words, I’m excited to see how AI and tech can improve our daily lives.
Mina Dezyanian (@IronRingGirls on social media), a civil engineer who created an online community for women in engineering, spoke with Mediaplanet about the challenges she faced in the industry and shares her advice for anyone looking to enter the field.
What advice do you have for individuals looking to kick start their career in this industry?
If it scares you and excites you at the same time, it’s a good thing. It can feel overwhelming when you’re starting and learning so much at the same time, so just take it one day at a time.
As a woman and newcomer in engineering, were there any challenges you’ve personally faced within the industry?
How did you overcome them?
The main challenge was (and still is to some extent) to find what I enjoy doing that also fits my lifestyle. I started out in design then moved into construction management. As a woman, it may
take twice as much effort as others to find new opportunities that suit where you are in life. The way to overcome it is to use your network to make more connections with people who will provide you with opportunities.
How do you see the role of engineering evolving in the future? Engineering is the building block of everything you can possibly imagine, from infrastructure to medical labs to the environment. The opportunities are endless and at the same time constantly evolving. It might even feel overwhelming to think about how much could possibly change in the near future. I truly believe it’s a profession that will always be the same (in the sense of using the same basic formulas) while at the same time constantly improving.
t its heart, professional engineering is about the safeguarding of life, health, property, the environment, and the public welfare through the application of engineering principles. Professional engineers, and the consulting engineering firms that employ them, have an ethical obligation to regard their duty to the public welfare as paramount. In retaining a member company of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Ontario (ACEC-Ontario), you get objective, skilled problem-solvers that you can trust.
Professional engineering is an everchanging field. This is seen both in the technologies that firms employ to deliver their services and in the stressors that are experienced by the equipment, infrastructure, buildings, and systems they design. Climate change has meant a new focus on design for climate resilience and sustainability, and a new perspective on the lifecycle of anything that’s exposed to the elements. The member companies of ACEC-Ontario understand this. Consulting engineer companies act as independent agents and trusted advocates for their clients, and are responsible for find-
ing innovative solutions to a broad range of challenges.
ACEC-Ontario seeks to be the go-to resource for these companies, offering leadership in policy advocacy and risk management while providing knowledge and education programs that deliver value and impact.
Sustainable and Responsible Engineering for Canada’s Future
Canada is built by engineering firms, yet Canadians are rarely aware of the companies behind the projects that shape our world.
D.F. McCourt
When a new renewable power generator is brought online in a rural area or the mass transit infrastructure of a major city is modernized, electrified, and made more sustainable, Canada gets stronger.
Behind every one of these projects is one or more engineering firms, and each brings a different philosophy and a unique set of strengths to the table. To build the best future for our children and grandchildren, we must become familiar with the people engineering that future.
Engineering for future generations
“As engineers, we have the power to educate our clients and influence the way they build their response to the challenges they face,” says Steeve Fiset, Chief Strategy Officer at employee-owned engineering firm CIMA+. “This is where we can have the biggest impact — by proposing to our clients to do things differently in ways that may not even be more expensive, but that are more responsible toward the environment or toward the ESG framework. I think the most powerful aspect of our strategy is engineering for future generations.”
CIMA+ is an established company with more than three decades of experience and a persistent focus on social responsibility and sustainability. A well-known player in its home province of Quebec, the reach of CIMA+ extends nationwide with more than 2,800 employees in 30 offices across Canada. You’re certainly aware of the company’s ongoing projects, whether it’s the West Calgary Ring Road, the Green Line and Valley Line West LRTs in Calgary and Edmonton, or the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital in the province of Quebec.
As we continue to refine our vision of a sustainable and equitable future for Canada, we must remember that every new project represents an opportunity to align the country we are actually building with the country we want to have. Choosing an engineering firm with the right experience and the right philosophy makes all the difference.
How BASF Canada Made a Strong Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Businesses are increasingly expected to make meaningful change in society, and diverse companies are also more likely to see above average profits.
Ken Donohue
BASF Canada, a leading global chemical company, aspires to have diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) deeply rooted in its corporate culture and systems by 2025. It’s well on its way to achieving this and was recently named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp, which recognizes companies for their exceptional workplace diversity, and inclusiveness programs.
“We recently released our strategy that aims to further develop and empower our employees and leaders through various meaningful actions and programs based on external research and internal data,” says Nick Chaffey, Head of People at BASF Canada. “Now more than ever, we’re seeing employees want to be involved in not only the discussions about DEI but also ways they can take action and make a positive impact.”
The power of engaging employees
Based on employee feedback, six critical areas of action and an Inclusion Champion Cross-Functional Project team were established. Employee volunteers identified and developed impactful initiatives to help the organization improve in each of the six areas. “Following that call to action, we had over 30 passionate employees working on more than 15 initiatives,” says Chaffey.
Chaffey adds that engaging with employees and understanding who they are, how they identify, and how they value diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical in building sustainable DEI programs. “Building an inclusive environment that encompasses diversity is paramount to our future success and our ability to attract and retain the best people and the best talent,” he says. “At BASF, Inclusion has been a powerful driver and motivator for engagement.”
MWhat Actions Are Needed to Attract and Retain More Women in Engineering?
uch is being written about increasing the number of women in leadership roles, on boards, and in occupations where they’re underrepresented. The business case has been made: better results, more ethical decision-making, and more creative solutions are the result of increased numbers of women. As with any long-ingrained issue, the difficulty is in the how. What actions are needed?
The Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades, and Technology (WinSETT Centre) is an action-oriented
non-profit organization focused on fostering opportunities that encourage women to enter, stay, grow, and lead in science, engineering, trades, and technology (SETT) careers. We envision a world where women participate fully in SETT.
WinSETT positions women for success by giving them the tools that they need to stay, grow, and lead at all levels in SETT workplaces. WinSETT Centre does this by offering facilitated and moderated Skill Builders webinars and a series of day-long workshops. All are high-quality professional development offerings based on Canadian women in SETT and the latest Canadian and
international research.
WinSETT works to influence and improve workplace culture by helping employers assess the current state, set objectives, and build a plan that includes suitable and proven policies, training, and interventions to help them create a more respectful and inclusive workplace for all of their employees. We’ve worked with researchers and industry partners to develop tools and training to assist employers who are taking the lead in making changes in their workplaces. The time to act has come. Let’s work together to create a world where women participate fully in SETT.
Steeve Fiset Chief Strategy Officer, CIMA+
Nick Chaffey Head of People, BASF Canada
Find out who’s engineering your future by visiting cima.ca
Learn more about BASF Canada’s commitment to its people and business at basf.com/ca
This article was sponsored by CIMA+
This article was sponsored by BASF Canada
WinSETT Centre’s professional development offerings are helping to create a world where women participate fully in science, engineering, trades, and technology careers.
Marg Latham
Marg Latham Chair of the Board, Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology (WinSETT Centre)
SSeneca Equipping Tomorrow’s Engineering Leaders with EDI Tools
With a focus on diversity, industry collaboration, and global perspectives, Seneca is creating the engineering leaders of the future.
eneca was established in 1967 and is widely recognized as a leader in postsecondary education. With over 145 full-time programs and 135 part-time programs including 14 bachelor's degrees and 30 graduate certificates spread across six different faculties — including applied arts and health sciences, business, communication, art and design, and applied science and engineering technology — the school’s career-focused programming is producing hosts of successful graduates.
“Seneca is a comprehensive urban college, with campuses in Toronto, York Region and Peterborough, that offers credentials ranging from short-term micro credentials all the way to four-year honours baccalaureate degrees,” says Ranjan Bhattacharya, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering Technology at Seneca.
Fostering future-ready leaders
As a polytechnic, Seneca is focused on applied technical education, including industry integration and experiential learning. With international connections, It’s providing the next generation of globally aware graduates the knowledge, experience, and cultural savvy to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
“It all starts with making sure we’re meeting the needs of our industry partners
Tania Amardeil
and community,” says Bhattacharya. “Our programming is very industry-focused and industry-integrated. We also place quite an emphasis on experiential learning. Industry-recognized certifications are embedded in the curriculum of many of our programs, and many also offer co-ops, placements, internships, and community service options.” Capstone courses give students further opportunities to work on real-life problems, applying the knowledge they’ve learned in class to the context of an industry environment.
Embracing diversity
Seneca is also heavily focused on attracting a diverse pool of students and faculty to its campuses, especially to the applied science and engineering technology faculty that Bhattacharya leads.
Engineering is a global profession and a diverse field, and so emphasizing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is an important part of preparing students for successful careers. “We want to make sure we create graduates who understand the greater world we live in,” says Bhattacharya. “Engineering technology professionals are problem-solvers. They play a critical role in shaping the world we live in, from designing infrastructure to developing new technologies, and the best way to go about solving problems is to make sure you have diverse
perspectives around the table.”
Focusing on EDI in engineering helps to address bias and discrimination, meet the needs of diverse communities, improve collaboration and innovation, and attract and retain top talent.
“Having a deep understanding of EDI issues is crucial for engineering graduates to create a more inclusive and equitable society,” says Bhattacharya.
The importance of EDI in AI
As an example of the importance of addressing bias and discrimination, Bhattacharya brings up artificial intelligence (AI). “AI, which originated primarily in the software industry, has been white-male-dominated for decades,” he says. “The AI systems are created and released based on who’s designing them, and they’re only as objective as the data they are trained on. If the data is biased, the output is inherently biased.”
For example, there is evidence that some AI facial recognition technology has been less accurate at identifying women and people with darker skin tones than it has when identifying men and people with lighter skin.
“An emphasis on EDI is critical in the development of AI technologies to address bias, ensure equitable outcomes, build trust, and advance innovation,” says Bhattacharya.
Engineering Your Dream Career Starts with Humber College
Humber College is one of the largest colleges in Canada, with a long history of developing global citizens with the knowledge and skills to lead and innovate. Delivering a polytechnic model of education means that the school’s programs are career-focused and responsive to changes in competitive global job markets. Humber’s mix of experiential learning, classroom theory and real-world application ensures that its graduates leave the school professional, poised, and ready to make their mark bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world application. Humber’s new Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Information Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, and The Built Environment are the latest offerings in a suite of innovative programming that unlocks limitless opportunities for graduates to embark on promising careers in a changing world.
Meeting industry demands
It’s important for post-secondary opportunities and programs to evolve to meet and anticipate industry demands. Changes in engineering are swift and vast. Many of the engineering jobs available today didn’t exist
5 or 10 years ago.
“The rapid change in technology affects all fields of engineering and is also changing the landscape of engineering disciplines,” says Dr. Jonathan Kim, Associate Dean, Information and Communications Technology at Humber College. “Traditional engineering fields, such as electrical and mechanical engineering, are still important and will continue to evolve with the increased automation, generated intelligence, new materials, and increased productivity offered by technological advancement. At the same time, new fields and fusion of fields will emerge, with technological advancements in cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).”
It’s also important for educational programming to adapt to meet students’ evolving needs. Smaller class sizes, more interaction with faculty and instructors, hands-on learning opportunities, and close industry connections are all ways that Humber is helping students to reap the greatest benefits from their education and to be well-positioned to land full-time jobs after graduation.
Three paths to your dream career
“Information Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary field of study that encompasses rapidly changing, evolving, and converging areas of computer systems, software engineering, data networking, embedded systems, IoT, mobile communications, cloud computing, internet, and cyber security,” says Dr. Jonathan Kim. “Students study how these emerging technologies converge to generate, store, communicate, and utilize information quickly and securely.”
Students solve real-world problems in intimate settings and learn in the college's living labs, where they gain hands-on experience with industry-standard advanced technology. They also complete mandatory 12-month co-op work placements. The programs blend classroom theory with project-based learning to give students the critical thinking and practical training needed to prepare them for leadership roles.
Humber recently announced that it was the recipient of a $30-million gift from the Barrett Family Foundation. The largest single gift ever to an Ontario college will support technology innovation and access to post-secondary education in STEM-related fields at Humber.
Ranjan Bhattacharya
This article was sponsored by Seneca
With 40,000 employees worldwide and a 110-year history of excellence, Fluor is building a better world by applying world-class expertise to solve its clients' greatest challenges. “Fluor is a global engineering, procurement, and construction company,” says Jeff Bonham, Director of Project Operations at Fluor Canada. “We work on large industrial and commercial projects and serve a number of different industries.”
The Fortune 500 Company’s employees provide professional and technical solutions that deliver safe, well-executed, capital-efficient projects to clients around the world. In return, Fluor takes exemplary care of its people, with a focus on team-building, personal and professional development, work-life balance, and inclusion.
Impressive capabilities
“We’re striving to build a better world by executing projects for our clients and helping them with the energy transition; fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respective workforce; focusing on developing and growing our people; and engaging in our communities,” says Kelty Macleod, Manager of Engineering at Fluor Canada.
“We’re always working to find new ways of doing things,” says Marina Muenchrath, Operations Coordinator at Fluor Canada. Continually evolving and staying flexible — including using lean methodologies — sets the company apart.
Fluor’s capabilities as an engineering firm are impressively widespread. The company is proud of its small- to mid-cap project capabilities, with team members quick to point out that the organization doesn’t only handle mega projects. “We’re involved in the large-scale design and build of our clients’ facilities, but we also operate a Multi Projects Group whose focus is on the small to mid-size projects for a broad base of maintenance, small revamps, turnaround and facility improvement services,” notes Bonham.
Supporting the energy transition
Fluor excels in the sustainability space, and one of its key focus areas in the Canadian market is supporting its clients in the energy transition.
“There are a lot of changes happening in the industry through the energy transition, and Fluor has really stepped up to get ahead of the game,” says Muenchrath. “We use our expertise in project execution and technology to help with projects such as carbon capture, renewable fuels, hydrogen and small modular nuclear reactors,” adds Macleod.
Fluor’s sustainability excellence is driven by its innovative team, from technically knowledgeable engineers to smart project execution professionals. “We can help companies and governments understand what’s required to implement technology innovations and what it means from a scale of deployment perspective,” says Bonham.
A leader in sustainability
For example, Canada’s Net Zero plan which aims to have a net zero electricity grid by 2035. “This is a huge challenge,” says Bonham. “At Fluor, we have the experience, expertise, and knowledge to help inform decision-making, and also for execution. We have a vested interest, not only as players in the energy industry, but as members of our community, to bring our knowledge to the conversation to help move society forward in this regard.”
Internally, Fluor has its own ambitious green goals. “Globally, Fluor’s goal is to reach net-zero scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by the end of 2023,” says Muenchrath.
Each global Fluor office has its own initiatives to collectively reach this target. In Calgary, Fluor Canada’s efforts include switching to high-efficiency LED bulbs with automatic dimmers, eliminating single-use plastics, and plans for a solar installation on its main building in Calgary.
A people-first organization
This pioneering work depends on the strength of Fluor’s employees, and accordingly, the organization highly prizes them.
“Our business is to provide engineering, procurement, and construction services, which are provided by our people, so our people are our assets,” says Bonham. “We recognize that and as a result, we want to treat our people well.”
The advantages of working at Fluor are aplenty, from generous bene fits packages that prioritize wellness and mental health, to hybrid work considerations and time-off allocations that promote a healthy work-life balance, to ample opportunities for training, development, and promotion. The organization recently won two awards that highlight its dedication to being a top employer: Canada’s Top Employers for Young People 2023 and Alberta’s Top
75 Employers 2023.
Importantly, Fluor is a place where both ambitious young grads and higher-up professionals can excel and build long-lasting careers.
Building a fulfilling career
Fluor’s Graduates Advancing to ProfessionalismSM group for employees within five years of their post-secondary graduation helps members navigate the early stages of their careers with professional development opportunities and social gatherings. “Our Emerging Leaders Group has a similar intent but is focused on helping mid-career professionals transition into leadership roles,” says Bonham.
Fluor also has a variety of Employee Resource Groups focused on increasing representation and opportunities for women, creating progressive spaces for LGBTQIA2S+ employees and more.
Fluor is growing, which is good news for aspiring grads and professionals. “We’re looking to hire just about all disciplines, positions, and levels of experience,” says Macleod.
“We’re looking for team players who are driven, accountable, adaptable, and innovative.”
A high degree of technical competency — whether for designers, engineers, project control specialists, or procurement specialists — is also vital, notes Bonham. “We put people on very real jobs right away,” he says. “As a new hire at Fluor, you’ll step right into doing what you’ve been trained to do.”
Tania Amardeil
