As an EngSci student, you’ll have access to many networking and mentorship events and programs. Take advantage of these!
All of us have struggled with something in first year, from choosing which design team to join to what résumé template to use to problem-solving strategies for CIV102 problem sets to emailing professors for research positions. You can gain a lot of insights by talking to upper-years or alumni. Getting the right mentorship can open many doors. Regardless of the topic, there are tons of people who want to support you.
Simultaneously, it’s important to reach out not only to potential mentors, but other people in industry or research, to help you form professional connections. Networking can open many doors from helping you found a startup with your classmates to landing that dream job.
Although it seems like a fancy term, networking can be extremely simple. Fundamentally, it’s just meeting people and getting to know each other a bit. It can be nothing more than just having a conversation at a professional event, in the common room, or a anywhere else.
Networking with your peers is invaluable. In addition to forming long-lasting friendships, you can learn about the cool things that your peers are up to. In the future, if one of your peers needs a teammate for a school project, or a co-founder for a startup, they’ll remember to ask you.
Upper-years (like your Blog Admins!) went through your experiences very recently. They can provide detailed and personalized advice. They’ll almost always be available for a quick text message or chat, so do not hesitate to reach out to them.
Any upper-year can answer general questions about courses, careers, etc. If you’re looking for someone who went through a particular experience, LinkedIn will be your best friend for finding them. In addition, keep in mind that U of T Engineering CONNECT serves to help you reach out to alumni. If you’re on a design team or club, your team leads are knowledgeable people who can offer tons of great advice.
GEARS are student-led drop-in sessions where you can get help with course concepts, career advice, and more. EngSci has its own version of GEARS, that’s separate from the Core 8’s. To learn more about EngSci GEARS and this year’s mentors, check out this blog post.
Your friends and family might have more experience than upper-year peers, and they’ll probably know you on a more personal level. Perhaps you’re at a crossroads with your interests and need help selecting a major. Maybe you just need some ideas for cheap and convenient meals. Never discredit the value of speaking with them. Plus, this allows you to not only receive valuable mentorship but also catch up with your loved ones!
Networking Events & Platforms
ESEC is an annual EngSci-exclusive conference. You’ll hear from and speak with many accomplished individuals from a diverse range of careers paths, while interacting with your peers in a professional setting. For more information, check out our ESEC blog post.
Founded over ten years ago, YNCN is U of T’s largest student-run career network. Run by over 50 volunteers, they provide student career opportunities through workshops, blog posts, podcasts, and career fairs. YNCN can help with résumé-writing, interview prep, PEY advice, and more. They’re partnered with various top companies, such as Accenture, Intel, Qualcomm, and Scotiabank, and host career fairs in September and February that are amongst the largest in Canada, attracting over 3000 students!
Once you arrive in September, you’ll be able to join U of T Engineering CONNECT – an online community exclusively for U of T Engineering students and alumni. You’ll have direct access to thousands of engineering grads working in a huge range of jobs and companies around the world. In the EngSci Group you can search the member list to find mentors from different EngSci disciplines who are willing to provide career/research advice and job conenctions.
Design Teams and Clubs
Joining extracurriculars is an excellent way to meet upper-year peers who are knowledgeable in specific fields. They offer you an environment in which you can showcase your capabilities, which can help you climb to leadership roles and have your talents recognized. Design team competitions bring together companies and students from around the world and make for one-of-a-kind networking events where students can get recruited.
Some design teams and clubs that offer students specific networking and mentorship opportunities are highlighted below.
CUBE is a student-run club that promotes biomedical engineering (BME) at the undergrad level. CUBE hosts career fairs, research info sessions, fireside chats, and more. They also have a mentorship program that pairs undergraduates with BME alumni, so you can learn about the field and get valuable advice on topics including resumes and job-hunting.
The U of T Chapter of NSBE is dedicated to the academic growth and professional development, as well as the personal growth, of its club members. This club focuses on marginalized groups within the U of T space and continually partners with different companies in STEM to provide students with the opportunity to connect and network with them. NSBE invites students into a strong, friendly, and professional network.
The U of T Women’s Association “seeks to unite self-identifying women across all programs by offering equal opportunities.” They organize Q&A panels with research and industry professionals from different fields and have also held a LeadHERship conference in the past.
WISE U of T is a community of advocates for gender equality in STEM, helping provide networking and mentorship opportunities. The club holds tons of networking events (e.g. WISE & Cheese), organizes an industry mentorship program, and a career fair. WISE also has an annual National Conference; last years conference included talks by prominent individuals, workshops from companies like Intel and Qualcomm, and Q&A panels. You can check out previous years speakers and workshops here.
Mentorship Programs
NSight is a mentorship program run by EngScis, for EngScis. You’ll get paired with an upper-year mentor for the year, who can provide social, academic, and personal support. NSight also organizes seminars and fun get-togethers where you can interact with other EngScis while learning about how to succeed. It’s a learning and networking opportunity, all rolled into one!
From the Alumni Mentorship Program website:
“Since 2005, the Alumni Mentorship Program has fostered valuable relationships between Skule™ alumni and students. Alumni Mentors share their knowledge and experience and provide students with the encouragement and insights they need to get a great start to their careers and begin to set a course for the future. They enhance students’ educational experience and give back to their alma mater in a unique and rewarding way. Mentors often also learn from their bright young student mentees as they help them navigate important decisions at a critical time in their lives.
The program is open to undergraduates (including Professional Experience Year internship participants), graduate students (MASc, MEng and PhD) and alumni who graduated more than one year ago. Matches meet at the program’s kick-off event held at the beginning of the fall semester. From October through March, mentors and mentees connect informally as they wish, and all matches gather at several program events planned throughout the year.”