OSPE - The Voice - June 2017 - 34

students

First cohort of Siemens
Canada Engineering and
Technology Academy
graduates are proof of the
program's success
W

When Robert Hardt, President & CEO, Siemens
Canada Ltd., delivered the keynote address at
the second Skills and Post-Secondary Education
Summit in 2014, he captured the minds of an
entire room - and they are still talking about it to
this day. The topic was talent development, and
the perceived value of Work Integrated Learning
(WIL) opportunities was not new at the time.
What was different, however, was that Siemens
Canada was about to take action on innovative
skills training and education.

ithin only six months of this 2014 announcement, and with only three full-time
leaders, SCETA - the Siemens Canada Engineering and Technology Academy, a
Dual Education Program that allows engineering and engineering technology students
to 'earn as they learn,' - welcomed its first cohort of 30 students. In May, OSPE had the
pleasure of attending the first SCETA graduation ceremony to congratulate this same
cohort of graduates on their successful completion of this WIL program.
CEO Robert Hardt once again took to the podium - this time to thank the graduates
for their commitment to SCETA. After seven years at the helm of Siemens Canada,
Hardt will also be "graduating" from Siemens Canada, joining Siemen's venture capitalist arm as part of next47, an initiative looking for big ideas, great technologies and
innovation that can disrupt industries and create new markets.
"I feel as though I am part of your graduating class. I am proud of many things that
we have accomplished at Siemens Canada since I started here in 2007, but SCETA is
right on top of the list," said Hardt. "Educational systems are a reflection of a nation's
culture. We tried to bring the best of the German dual education system to Canada,
and combined it with the strongest elements of Canadian culture to create the best
educational system in the world - right here in Canada.
Business is global and borders are useless when it comes to economics and education," continued Hardt. "We need a healthy globe on which to operate, and I know that
your ambition and skills will blaze the trail and help Siemens achieve its goal to become
a carbon neutral company by 2030."
Tom Murad, P.Eng., head of SCETA, echoed the importance of collaboration in his
heartfelt remarks to the graduating class and his colleagues. Murad thanked his team
members Mamak Grant and John Da Silva, P.Eng. who ensure the Dual Education
Program continues to grow and evolve. SCETA has now welcomed its third cohort
of program participants. Murad also noted that all members of the broader Siemens
Canada management team have embraced their roles as mentors and ambassadors of
the program, helping develop SCETA's students into highly skilled professionals that
are "the envy of any organization."
When addressing his "SCETA family," Murad said, "Siemens Canada carefully
designed and engineered SCETA as any other product. It may not be perfect, but it is
always improving, as any meaningful project does. When you started the program, I
told you the Academy would become successful by and for you. You have overcome
challenges, exceeded expectations and proved your fabulous qualities."
SCETA, which now has seven academic partners, embraces input from each of its
stakeholders, including its students and college and university partners, for continuous
improvement.
34

The VOICe

June 2017

several sCeTa graduates expressed
their sentiments about the versatility
and flexibility of the program:
Patryk Korbut came to SCETA as a
Mohawk College student. He is now
working as a product manager for circuit
breakers in the Siemens Canada energy
management division, and will be simultaneously pursuing an undergraduate
degree at McMaster University.
"The nice thing about SCETA is that
they really satisfy your curiosities. The
team would always ask us about what we
wanted to learn or who we wanted to talk
to. Any opportunity that we wanted - they
made it happen. Most of us requested more
time for hands-on learning outside of the
classroom and they took that into account.
We also had a lot of fireside chats with
upper management, so we got an all-encompassing view of the company."
Hassan Mamalachi was an International
Engineering Graduate who studied control and systems engineering and has
worked for organizations around the
world. He now has a full-time position
with Siemens Canada as a physical asset
management specialist.
"SCETA gives you a 360-degree view,
even before you become a part of the company. I have discovered Canada through
Siemens. I had the opportunity to travel
to many branches and provinces to see
how project managers, technicians and
different departments work. Now I have

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