Meet Hayden. He's a graduate of the Civil Engineering Technician program from 2021. Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, he was interested in engineering from a young age as he heard amazing stories about the projects his grandfather worked on at Algoma Steel. These stories and his keen interest motivated him to dive into the engineering field. Hayden loved that his hometown had a reputable Civil Engineering Technician program for him to start the path to a career in engineering.
He feels the current faculty has really transformed the program to keep up with today's construction world and by providing relevant projects and course material that he would experience on a day-to-day basis in a career after graduation. Faculty helped prepare him for his career and he is proud and confident in his choice to take the Civil Engineering Technician program.
An advantage of the program was his co-op placement. Many local companies were willing to take students from the program on board as the construction industry in Sault Ste. Marie is rapidly growing - which often provides an opportunity to work with the same organization full time after graduation. And that's just what happened to him!
Interest Piqued at a Young Age
Hayden got his hands into construction projects while growing up. He first helped a neighbour framing a garage and then later worked for his uncle's excavation company in high school and gained many more skills. These experiences and exposure to real-world construction projects solidified his decision to pursue engineering as his postsecondary path.
After he completed his program at Â鶹tv, Hayden moved on to complete the Civil Engineering Technologist program at Cambrian College. He was happy to have the opportunity return home to kickstart his career where he was employed as a Project Manager/Estimator with an industrial maintenance and construction service company - the same company he had his co-op with! The firm specializes in steel fabrication, steel erection, scaffolding, and electrical and civil projects.
Hayden loves the diversity of the projects he manages as they each present unique challenges and opportunities for growth, as he learns something new everyday. Although the job can be stressful at times, Hayden feels how rewarding it is, especially when winning a project through bidding and then seeing it come to fruition.
If you're interested in the field, Hayden encourages you to get as much field experience as you can, never be afraid to ask questions, and continue your education.