MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
'True partner': Celebrating 20 years of co-operative education success with Exmar Offshore Company

This year marks a milestone in engineering education and industry collaboration as Memorial University's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science celebrates 20 years of its co-operative education partnership with Exmar Offshore Company.

A group of Memorial University engineering interns and employees at an Exmar site in Ingleside, Texas. Photo: Submitted

Exmar, based in Houston, Texas, is a global leader in maritime innovation.

Since 2005, the relationship has resulted in approximately 220 placements for Memorial students.

Excluding the university itself, in the last 15 years Exmar Offshore Company has consistently ranked among the faculty's top 15 employers.

'Unique among its peers'

"Exmar Offshore Company provides our students with meaningful work in areas such as structural, stability, or electrical analysis and project management," said Patrick Sullivan, director of the Engineering Co-operative Education Office at Memorial. "These experiences and the skills developed transfer well academically and prepare students for their careers. This relationship reflects the quality of our students and our programs."

Exmar Offshore Company goes above and beyond in supporting students, assisting with the U.S. visa process, which is often costly, as well as providing a housing allowance, a car and flights to Houston.

"We've come to consider Memorial a true partner in the execution of our projects." David Lim

For many students, it's their first time living abroad, and the experience is both professionally and personally transformative.

"Memorial's co-op. program is unique among its peers," said David Lim, managing director at Exmar Offshore Company. "We've come to consider Memorial a true partner in the execution of our projects. It has been particularly impactful in the growth of Exmar Offshore Company, where Memorial is represented at every level of the organization."

Real responsibility

Memorial work-term students are integrated into project teams and given real responsibility, something they consistently identify as the most rewarding aspect of working with Exmar Offshore Company.

They gain experience with industry software, contribute to design solutions and return to campus able to share their new knowledge and skills with peers.

One of those students was Tim Squires (B.Eng.'24), now a full-time project engineer specialist with the company.

"My co-op. experience with Exmar was exceptional," he said. "Getting to visit the shipyard where two of our semisubmersible units were being prepared for deployment was eye-opening. Seeing in person what I had contributed to on paper really showed the impact of our work."

For Alison Sheppard (B.Eng.'08), now commercial development manager at the company, her co-operative education experience shaped the entire trajectory of her career.

"By the time I graduated, I already had two years of work experience," she said. "It gave me a competitive advantage and helped me land a full-time job before even finishing my degree."

This long-standing partnership continues to be a model for experiential learning and career development, strengthened by early co-operation between senior Exmar Offshore Company personnel and John Huston, a former academic staff member and co-operative education co-ordinator at Memorial.

Today, numerous Memorial alumni at Exmar Offshore Company hold executive roles, keeping the connection strong and paving the way for the next generation of engineers.

Matt Murphy (B.Eng.'06) was one of Exmar Offshore Company's first Memorial interns and is now senior vice-president there, along with Blair Kirkland (B.Eng.'06), who is the construction and operations manager.

"Co-op is not just a program it's an investment in the future of our industry," said Mr. Lim. "And Memorial students have proven time and again that they are ready to meet that future head-on."