Fall term is in the rear-view mirror and we’re moving full steam ahead into the New Year! So, what does this mean? It means we’re looking for new coop students to join our team! Here at Clearpath, our coop students make an impact. When they finish the term, we’re as excited as they are to showcase their success and recap the learning’s. Here’s what our fall term ’13 coop students have experienced…
Meet the Coops
Alex the Robot Wrencher (Conestoga College)
Alex, Conestoga College
Joining us from Conestoga College, Alex was able to help establish a documented process on how we build our robots. He also designed tooling that has since made our robot assembly much more efficient. “I really improved my problem solving and critical thinking skills while working at Clearpath,” said Alex. “I’d find out information about certain parts that were needed during the design process and create a proper BOM (Bill of Materials),” said Alex.
Eugenia the Water Survey Technician (University of Waterloo)
Eugenia worked with the Environmental team at Clearpath on a variety of tasks geared toward the commercialization of the Kingfisher Bathymetric System. Through her experience, Eugenia recognized the incredible value that comes from working at a start-up company. “As a coop student, I was able to take on more responsibility and more challenging tasks that I wouldn’t have had a chance to do if I were working at a larger company,” said Eugenia. “My role as a coop felt far more substantial at Clearpath than any previous employer – in our team of three, it was always all hands on deck!”
Tarjote the Mechanical Engineer (University of Waterloo)
Tarjote, Mech Eng – University of Waterloo
During the four month term, Tarjote worked in tandem with our experienced hardware guru to revamp parts of the Kingfisher platform, re-package SolidWorks models, and create engineering drawings to reflect actual build and assembly processes. With Tarjote’s help, Kingfisher’s new thruster units have run in a test environment for a record-breaking number of hours! “I learned the importance of being efficient by continually re-evaluating the work that needs to be completed and determining best methods to complete the work in the shortest time possible,” said Tarjote. “I’ve really developed a true appreciation for engineering standards, drawings and documentation.”
Their proudest accomplishments
Alex wasn’t shy to tell people what he did a Clearpath, “Anytime anybody asked what I did as a coop, the first thing I’d say is ‘I build robots’ and the usual reaction was Wow! That’s cool!” We do take pride in building our bots, and we have fun doing it! “The people are amazing, the atmosphere is relaxed, the job is fun, and I enjoyed everything I did here.”
Eugenia outside the tailings ponds in Timmins, Ontario
Eugenia had the opportunity to conduct bathymetric surveys using Kingfisher in mines across Northern Ontario – the team pushed the limits of the robot boat and were blown away to see it thrive in snow and windy conditions. “Clearpath is a fantastic company to work for! Everyone is so approachable and has a great sense of humor. Being as it is a start-up, I particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to meet every ‘Clearpathian;’ they’re all so passionate about their work.”
Tarjote’s prided accomplishment was designing and building a vacuum forming table for thin sheet plastics on Hardware Hackday, “it was one of the best experiences I’ve had at Clearpath. Another great experience was the first time one of the new Kingfisher thruster units went into the water and was set to maximum speed – it was quite the spectacle.”
Interested in joining our team? Check out available full-time and coop positions here.
What have other coops done at Clearpath? See Classroom Lessons Get Real World Experience