CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Go ENG Girl introduces girls and non-binary youth to the diverse world of engineering

The morning started with talks by women in engineering, followed by hands-on workshops for the 43 young participants and information sessions for their parents.

Go ENG Girl started in 2005 in recognition of the need to bring more women into the field, and is now held on campuses across Canada to give young women in grades 7-10 and their parents/caregivers the opportunity to learn more about engineering.

The opportunity sparked a new passion for Zoe Talbot. She tried out the hands-on engineering activities at Go ENG Girl in 2018, and is now a student in Conestoga's Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical Systems Engineering program.

"I was a little nervous about it because I didn't know if engineering was something I wanted to do," Talbot told the audience.

Engineering turned out to be a good fit for Talbot, whose favourite subjects in high school were math and science. She encouraged the Go ENG Girl participants to embrace opportunities to learn.

"Don't be afraid to try new things and take risks - you never know where it will take you."

Conestoga delivers more than 40 engineering programs. Marilyn Powers, dean of the School of Engineering & Technology, emphasized the diverse opportunities available in the engineering field, and the many well-paid jobs up for grabs with engineers being in high demand.

"Please let your curiosity roam," said Powers, who is an engineer.

She encouraged the youth to ask lots of questions during the event. "And, of course, we're going to have a lot of fun."

The hands-on workshops lead by faculty and Conestoga students were a hit. In the electrical engineering lab, participants built an LED circuit on breadboards that they lit up with solar panel stations. The civil engineering workshop had participants mixing concrete, learning about different combinations and testing mixes.

Avery Kugler eagerly got to mixing her concrete concoction. The Grade 7 student from Breslau who likes science perked up when her teacher mentioned Go ENG Girl, having never attended anything similar.

"I like getting my hands dirty," Kugler said.

The opportunity was also new for Maaike Eveland, a Grade 7 student from Exeter. She was excited to join the event.

"At my school, we don't have anything for engineering," Eveland said.

Grade 10 student Grace Friess said she's not particularly mechanically inclined, but she was game to learn more about the options in engineering. "That's why I'm here - to try it out."

Seeing her LED circuit light up was a thrill for Hannah Carter, a Grade 6 student in Cambridge.

"This is completely new," she said. "It was pretty cool."

She came with her mother Amy Carter, who works in engineering and was the only woman throughout her entire program. Carter didn't hesitate to sign her daughter up for Go ENG Girl to give Hannah the early opportunities she didn't have.

"When I was her age, there were no programs for girls," Carter said. "I like the fact that she has more options. This kind of exposure is great for the girls."

The event was also sponsored by the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering (ONWIE), TD Bank, General Motors Canada and Engineering Deans Ontario (EDO).

Conestoga's School of Engineering & Technology offers a comprehensive suite of programs with a wide range of credentials in areas including architecture, civil, construction, mechanical and electronics. Programs feature project-based learning, co-op work experience and applied research opportunities.