I am a third-year engineer-in-training with the site development team at the Calgary office. I started as a part-time worker first and officially joined the company in January 2024 after my master’s degree in Transportation Engineering from the University of Calgary, Alberta.
Most of the work I have done is short-term, intensive, and cooperative, and I need to multitask between various tasks in a project and/or multiple projects simultaneously. The projects may range from residential, institutional, to commercial. A typical day for me begins with answering emails. Drafting takes most of the day, then filling the little gaps by attending an unlimited number of online meetings and site visits. I handle many of the tasks involved in site development projects, including important but occasional ones such as sound and sanitary studies, as well as more general requirements like the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESC), which is specifically mandated by the City of Calgary.
My greatest achievement so far was completing the ESC for the redevelopment of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, Alberta, a project that was especially critical due to site and weather challenges, its impact on students, and the urgency of construction. I cannot express how complicated it was, but it helped me overcome a lot of difficulties in designing ESC plans and build relationships with city reviewers.
In addition to my regular 8-hour workday, I spend a lot of time working out. Everyone knows where to find me when I am not by my table – the office gym. If there’s one thing that frustrates me besides missing a work deadline, it’s not being able to hit the gym after an office celebration feast. I guess the next accomplishment I am hoping to achieve is to build muscles.