U of T Engineering offers so many ways for students to get involved outside the classroom. Even before you get to campus, you will probably hear a lot about different clubs and design teams that you can join. This raises an important question: what is the difference between design teams and clubs? The short answer is that all design teams are clubs but not all clubs are design teams.
Design Teams
What are design teams?
For a list of existing design teams, check out this Skule website.
Design teams let students work on projects that apply the technical knowledge acquired in courses in an extracurricular setting. Most design teams participate in local, national, or international technical competitions while fostering a collaborative environment with a tight-knit team. U of T Engineering has over 23 different design teams, and there really is one for every interest.
A big advantage of design teams is that you get to refine technical skills. Your work in design teams will help you understand some of the technical theory you learn in classes. Design teams also provide valuable engineering project experience that can help you get internships or summer jobs after your first year. However, your first-year design courses will give you more than enough experience to obtain summer jobs, so don’t feel obligated to join a design team if you are not interested.
How do I join design teams?
One of the most common questions about design teams is whether or not incoming first-year students are welcome to join. The answer is that not only are first years allowed to join the teams, they are very much encouraged to do so! You don’t need any prerequisite knowledge or skills to join, becauase you will be taught by upper years. Design teams connect students from various engineering disciplines and years, and they even run specific recruitment initiatives to engage first-year students. Every design team has its own recruitment cycle, but in general, the steps to getting involved are below.
1. Attend Fall Clubs Fair
The first step in joining a design team is to familiarize yourself with all the options. Remember that not only are there quite a few design teams, there are also different subsystems within each design team (mechanical, electrical, project management, etc…). This means that the possibilities for involvement are almost endless. Attending Fall Clubs Fair, which occurs in the middle of Frosh Week, can help you meet each team and see examples of the work they do. You also get to see exactly what YOU would get to do on the team.
2. Sign Up for Design Teams That Interest You
Once you have decided which teams interest you, you want to sign up for their mailing lists so that you don’t miss further information. This can be done either by signing up at Clubs Fair, or by emailing the team leads directly to get on the mailing list. This mailing list is how design teams contact students to let them know about the next steps regarding recruitment.
3. Check Your Email Inbox
Once you are on the mailing list, monitor your inbox so that you don’t miss the announcement for the team’s general information session!
Another pro tip: once you decide which design team(s) you are most interested in, we would recommend unsubscribing from the mailing lists of other design teams. Otherwise, you may get overwhelmed by all the emails in your inbox, and you could miss the information you value!
4. Attend the Recruitment/Information Session
This will look a little different for every team, but almost every design team will have a general information session. This is an important session where the team execs highlight opportunities within the team, team structure, and the team timeline. This is a valuable session to attend as you learn the expectations of the design team and what being a member of the team would entail. This session will also clarify the next steps for recruitment and relevant deadlines.
5. Choose Your Area of Interest Within the Design Team
As mentioned earlier, every design team has different subsystems you can join. It is important that you learn what these options are and that you pick the one you want to join.
6. Complete the Introductory Task (not always necessary)
Once you have your subsystem picked, some design teams require you to complete an introductory task to gauge your skills’ relevance to the team’s work. While this may sound daunting, keep in mind that design teams want first year students to join. If you find the task challenging, you are always allowed to seek support.
The point of the task is to ensure that new members put in the effort to learn necessary skills – it isn’t meant to test what skills you already have. Do not let the task deter you from joining a design team!
Note: Not every design team requires applicants to complete this introductory task.
7. Be Thrilled to Be Part of an Amazing Team
Enjoy the opportunity and get excited about all the cool things you’ll learn! All these points may seem overwhelming but remember: the design teams want you. They want first-year students with new ideas and with the drive to learn and grow in their roles. As long as you have a genuine interest in the group, you will find an amazing position on the team. By going through the above steps carefully, you can ensure you pick the right team for you!
Clubs
What are clubs?
Design teams aren’t the only way to get involved in the Skule community. There are a lot of different types of clubs. The Skule club directory divides clubs into athletic clubs, community involvement clubs, fine arts clubs, hobby clubs, musical clubs, and professional development clubs. There is a club for everyone but know that no one can be involved in all clubs. It’s important to go through your options before selecting which clubs are important to you. Below are some ways you can learn about clubs.
How can I learn about clubs?
1. Attend Clubs Fair
Not only is Fall Clubs Fair a great way to familiarize yourself with different design teams, it is also the first opportunity for you to interact with non-design-team clubs. The Fall Clubs Fair happens in the middle of Frosh Week, and most clubs will have a booth and club representatives there. This is your chance to interact directly with different clubs and pick the ones that resonate with you!
2. Search on skule.ca
All the engineering clubs are listed on the Skule website.The database includes a club description and contact information. If you find a club that interests you, we recommend reaching out to the club presidents and expressing your interest.
3. Ask Upper-Year Students
Reach out to upper-year students. Most upper-years have unique experiences with clubs, and they can help you learn about them by sharing their experiences. Just remember that everyone has different interests, so their experience may not be directly relevant to yours.
4. Email the Engineering Society
If you are struggling to find an upper-year with similar interests, you can also contact the Engineering Society’s VP Student Life (vpstudentlife@skule.ca). VP Student Life has the most up-to-date information on clubs and they can point out ones that relate to your interests.
Clubs differ from design teams in that they are often not working on a project with the goal of entering a competition. Clubs have more diversity, and they offer great opportunities to hone your leadership and teamwork skills. Both clubs and design teams are an amazing way to get involved in the Skule™ community, to develop new skills, and to create lasting friendships during your undergraduate experience.
University-wide clubs and teams
The University of Toronto also has innumerable clubs (outside of Skule). Joining a non-engineering club is also a great way to broaden your horizons and meet new people from other faculties!