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One Awards

HELPING FUTURE LEADERS SUCCEED 

The One Awards acknowledge and share the ingenuity of aspiring professionals to the joint benefit of Hydro One and our customers.

November 1 marks the closing date of submissions and nominations for outstanding people who demonstrate the traits that make Hydro One the innovative and diverse organization it is today.

William Peyton Hubbard Memorial Award

The William Peyton Hubbard Memorial Award is given to four outstanding Black undergraduate university or college students in Ontario, and includes $5,000 and an opportunity for a paid development work term at Hydro One.

Apply if you’re an Ontario student who:

  • Has completed a minimum of two years in an undergraduate program in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Civil, or Environmental Engineering/Technology, IT, or Business at the university or college level;
  • Has demonstrated leadership skills with involvement in extra-curricular activities on campus or within the community;
  • Has a minimum B+ GPA;

Leonard S. (Tony) Mandamin Award

The Leonard S. (Tony) Mandamin Award is given to ten outstanding Indigenous undergraduate university or college students in Ontario, and includes $5,000 and an opportunity for a paid development work term at Hydro One.

Apply if you're an Indigenous Ontario student who:

  • Has completed a minimum of two years in an undergraduate program in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Civil, or Environmental Engineering/Technology, IT, or Business at the university or college level;
  • Has demonstrated leadership skills with involvement in extra-curricular activities on campus or within the community;
  • Is of good academic standing with a minimum B+ GPA;
  • Is a student returning to school on a full-time basis;

Women in Engineering Award

The Women in Engineering Award is given to ten outstanding female engineering undergraduate university students in Ontario, and includes $5,000 and an opportunity for a paid development work term at Hydro One.

Apply if you're a female-identifying Ontario student who:

  • Has completed a minimum of two years in an undergraduate program in Electrical, Civil, Software, Systems and Computer Engineering at the university level;
  • Is engaged in outreach, volunteer or educational activities with younger girls
  • Is of good academic standing with a minimum B+ GPA;
  • Is a student returning to school on a full-time basis;

 

ENG HEROES

Temesghen Bzuayehu

 

1. What is your current role and what does it entail?

My current role is a manager of power system projects, and I supervise team engaged in delivery power system capital projects in Eastern Ontario. My responsibility is to ensure that my team is equipped to execute projects in safe, timely and cost-effectively and complying to environmental acts, provincial or federal regulations. This entails providing leadership through coaching / guidance to my team to achieve targets, plans, strategies, and quality objectives to build Ontario’s 500kV, 230kV, 115kV high voltage transmission and station electric grid.

2. When did you know you wanted to be an engineer? What inspired you to pursue this field?

My desire to become electrical engineer started at my early age while in grade 7 or so, I used to repair electrical appliances, radios of friends and families. I wasn’t compensated for the work but was making difference and this encourage me to pursue further. I started reading electrical engineering books at middle /high school years and built my own AM radio receiver. My interest also shaped for me to focus & fascinate on Physis and Mathematics subjects which lead to my undergraduate studies in Statistics & Computer science ( Addis Ababa University ) and Electrical Engineering (Toronto Metropolitan University) with further graduate specialization in Masters of Powers System Engineering (University of Waterloo). I am also privileged to have an older brother as a mentor, who is also electrical engineer.

3. What has been your proudest accomplishment as an engineer so far?

My proudest accomplishment is working at Hydro One on many projects to enable connection of customers and upgrade of high voltage transmission infrastructure enabling future electrification. One achievement that stands out is the Power South Nepean project that I managed as Sr. Project manager, the project need was identified by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) in 2016 as the South Nepean area (suburb of Ottawa) need up to 90MW of power capacity due to expansion of housing & businesses. The project planning and execution spanned from 2018-2022 was executed under budget and ahead of schedule. I live in South Nepean and I see every day the demanded power supply enabling communities to expand and businesses to thrive.

4. How does your work as an engineer contribute to society?

As a manager and my experience working as project manager or assistant design engineer, I have learned from these various roles that engineers play a big role in leading for the betterment of society.  I always believe the key to what I every day is to help communities achieve their goals of success in life. Apart from the technical knowledge, I believe & I try to apply the highest standard of moral & ethical values in every decision I make for good of communities and businesses.

5. What advice would you give to young individuals from underrepresented groups who are pursuing a career in STEM?

For the young generations in underrepresented group pursuing career in STEM, my advice is to first take time to know your aspirations in life. Be deaf tone to discouragement by others, find a good mentor. Always do every little task assigned with passion (at home or school), learn new things every day and apply your own ideas to make things better. Apart from regular school environment, find a volunteer, summer job or co-op opportunity to be exposed to work environment to lean new skills and help communities. Consider challenges you face as opportunities to exceed and finally, if there is something that makes you wake up every morning with energy & excitement, keep on specializing in that, chances are you will do far better than any one and will contribute to society immensely.

6. How did Hydro One’s One Award help you in your engineering pathway?

I was a recipient of One Award (former William Payton Award) in 2007 during my third-year electrical engineering study at TMU. The One award scholarship, in addition to monetary value to much needed help with school fees, it includes a work term at Hydro One. The work term has given me an opportunity to join a New Graduate program at Hydro One. After I joined new Grad program, I was given opportunities to work in engineering department as assistant protection & control designer and a rotation position in Windsor, ON working as a protection field engineer which gave me a hand on experience. Hydro One has provided me many trainings internally and externally to further develop my career in the last 15 years and I am so grateful for the opportunities.