Trendsetters: Meet Anisa Khan
Meet Anisa, a Level 3 Assistant Civil Technician Apprentice at Stantec!
We chatted with Anisa, 17, to learn about the daily projects she works on and how she achieved her apprenticeship at Stantec.
What does Stantec do?
Stantec is an engineering and environmental consultancy working on water, energy, infrastructure and building projects. Stantec work on projects within the water network, surveying and structural engineering sectors.
What does your apprenticeship involve?
I receive work from lots of people and it all tends to be quite varied, however I am still getting to know the basics of engineering now. At the end of the academic year I will have finished my Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering. My day-to-day duties involve communicating via email and face to face and working in teams to find the most effective ways to complete projects. I enjoy project work and attending meetings to go over my workload and goals for the week.
How did you achieve your apprenticeship/job with Stantec?
I finished my first year of college and I decided that I wanted to do something else. When I saw the vacancy for this role advertised online, I applied immediately and was offered an interview. Several weeks later I was offered the job! You need to have good maths and science grades to get into engineering.
Have you always had an interest in engineering?
Yes, I have always been interested in engineering, particularly as my strongest subjects at school were maths and science, and I had a passion for being creative too. I have always been interested in everything around me, such as bridges and buildings, and wondered how they had been created, so this seemed like the perfect career route to take!
What are your ambitions for the future?
I have come from my second year of college, so I am hoping to go onto higher education. I would also love to become a Chartered Engineer in the future!
People often have a narrow perception of what engineering is, how would you describe engineering?
I would describe it as using science and maths to create different and efficient ways of doing things.
What sort of skills does it take to become an engineer?
You need to be creative, think outside of the box and have good maths and science skills.
How important do you think it is that we encourage more young women into engineering? What would you say to them?
I believe that more women should be encouraged to work within the engineering sector.
I think if you are good at maths and science and if you are creative…go for it!