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.
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 as simple as having a conversation at a professional event, in the Common Room, or anywhere else.
Networking with your peers is invaluable. In addition to forming long-lasting friendships, you can learn about the cool things 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-year students (like your Blog Admins!) have navigated many of the same challenges you’re facing and can offer personalized advice. They’re usually just a text or quick chat away, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you’re looking for someone with a specific experience, LinkedIn is a great place to find them. You can also connect with alumni and current members of the U of T Engineering community through U of T Engineering CONNECT. If you’re involved in a design team or club, your team leads are another excellent source of guidance and advice.
EngSci 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.
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 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 connections.
Design Teams and Clubs
Joining extracurriculars is an excellent way to meet upper-year peers. 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 in our Extracurricular section.
Mentorship Programs
A mentor helps you learn from someone else’s experience so you can avoid common mistakes, grow faster, and gain perspectives you might not see on your own.
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.”