We Made a Difference. We Made it Together. WEMADEIT.

#gettingthere

5 Resources to Help You Pick a University

by

Picking a university is tough, especially if you will be calling it home for the next few years. Here are some resources that might help when making your decision:

University Tours

This may seem like an obvious one, but you don’t have to wait until grade 12 to book yourself a university tour! They are a great way to get a feel for the campus, put into perspective the actual sizes of dorm rooms, and get some insider information from your tour guide (especially if they are a current student at the school!).

University Fairs

University Fairs can be a great way to get your questions about a school answered by knowledgeable recruiters. Check with your guidance counsellors to see if your high school hosts any university fairs throughout the year, otherwise check out public university fairs like the annual Ontario University Fair (or any province you may be in!).

University Open Houses

So maybe you missed your chance for a university tour, or maybe you would rather explore a school with more of your friends and family than can fit in a tour group. Universities usually offer multiple Open Houses throughout the school year, where you can explore the campus, hear from different clubs and meet tons of current students. Keep an eye out on school websites for any university you are considering.

Current University Students

Chatting with current university students can be a huge help when debating what school to apply to, or which offer to accept. They can help give you the insider scoop about the school that may not be on the school’s website, and can become a friend should you choose to go there. Talk to your guidance counsellors to see if they can set you up with any of your school’s alumni, or reach out to the university itself.

When in doubt, email them!

All school’s have a Contact section on their website where you can write them an email or get their phone number. If you have a specific question, or just don’t know where to start, they will be happy to help you. Don’t be shy!

Aerospace Engineering – Explained

by

Have you ever wondered what Aerospace Engineering was all about?

Some universities have a total of 8 different branches of engineering, and with all those names and degree options it is easy to be overwhelmed and a bit confused. Instead of randomly picking a field of engineering, it is important to understand what each program does. This will help you decide what school to go to and really find your passion for engineering.

Aerospace engineering is offered at 5 universities in Canada, and 2 of those are right here in Ontario. This emerging field, is one of the newest and advancing areas of engineering. 

In simple terms, aerospace engineering is designing and building machines –that fly. That’s right, anywhere from drones, airplanes– to even rockets! There are two specialties within this field; aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering.

Aeronautical Engineering

Aeronautical engineering involves designing air crafts that are categorized as “lighter than air” this includes helicopters, gliders, airplanes and jets.

Astronautical Engineering

Astronautical is just what it sounds like, it is the design of spacecraft. This means that a career in aerospace engineering can look very different depending on which specialty you choose. So, whether you are interested in making an impact on flying technology in this world or in this universe, aerospace engineering has got you covered. 

Aerospace engineering is a very specialized and a relatively new field, so there is only a select few universities that offer the program here in Canada. The universities that do offer a bachelors in aerospace engineering include: Ryerson University, Carleton University, Concordia University, École Polytechnique de Montréal and the Royal Military College of Canada. 

Careers in Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace engineers can work in the corporate field, for an airline. This would involve designing commercial airplanes, and even change the way they run to adapt to the escalating problem of climate change. Commercial engineers have really had to rethink their design recently, because of climate change. This proves to make their jobs interesting, and of course impactful on the world. 

Then, of course, you have the opposite side of the scale which would be spacecraft engineers. These engineers help countries propel into space technology, and research more about outer space to understand the world we live on. Spacecraft engineers often find themselves using supercomputer simulations, because of the danger surrounding their line of work.

The geniuses behind this technology are engineering, science and data processing managers. These process managers make the simulations more efficient and effective to use. This is vital to the spacecraft engineer position, because the ability to try machines before being used by astronauts, will save lives.

Since safety is such an important part of aerospace, there are also compliance officers. These are the engineers that use their knowledge of aerospace to ensure that all rules and regulations are followed to meet safety standards. 

Lastly, drafters are engineers that create detailed drawings and specification sheets for the product designed. That can range from commercial airplanes to a spacecraft. either way very specific and detailed drawings are needed. 

Aerospace is a branch of engineering that covers everything flying under the sun. Hopefully, you have a better understanding of this branch of engineering. This field of engineering is going to change the world as we know it, and you can be a part of the change. It’s only up from here!