Throughout his time at UBC, Andrew learned how to tackle problems and gained real-life experience through student design teams, internships and co-ops.
Andrew also became a student ambassador where he loved sharing his experiences and helping others decide if UBC is right for them. All of this prepared him for his current role as a Mechanical Design Engineer at Telsa.
UBC is full of opportunities to connect and engage, both in and out of the classroom. What opportunities did you seize at UBC, which have positively impacted your experience in the workforce and the world?
UBC allowed me to have conversations with a large variety of people from different backgrounds and with widely differing perspectives. I made sure to engage in these conversations as often as I could, whether it was with classmates, my professors, people I would meet through clubs or volunteer groups, or even prospective students and families who would come on campus tours with me.
Share a memory or a moment in time when you remember feeling validated that you chose to attend UBC. Could be a favourite event, a successful project in the classroom, or something you did with a club or community organization. What about that memory affirmed your choice to come to UBC?
Becoming a student ambassador and helping prospective students to decide if UBC was the right fit for them was a very affirming experience. Deciding where to go for university and even deciding if a post-secondary education is for you is a big decision for many people. I loved being able to share stories about my own UBC experience and seeing other people find value and meaning in them.
How did your studies in Applied Sciences at UBC help you achieve your career goals?
Engineering is about building a toolbox that allows you to tackle all of the new and unique problems the world will throw at you as an engineer. I loved getting my hands dirty, and UBC offered me great opportunities to do this like joining student design teams and engaging in internships and co-ops. These allowed me to gain experience in tackling real-world problems and helped me to build my confidence as an engineer.
What advice do you have for prospective students on choosing a program, and choosing to attend UBC?
When choosing a program, think about what you like to do! What types of problems and questions tickle your brain? What can you spend all day doing?
If you’re not sure, say yes to the many opportunities to try new things out. Take new classes, attend information sessions, and talk to your friends about what they’re doing and why they like it.
How do you decide if UBC is right for you? Come on a campus tour! It’s a great way to see if this place is a right fit. You get to see what the in-classroom experience is like but also to learn more about things outside of the classroom (culture, community, things to do and people to meet). It’s also a great opportunity to talk to some current students and our great student advisors!
