Second-year Laurentian University mechanical engineering student Harsh Brahmbhatt said it's partly thanks to Hatch Engineering that he's studying engineering.
Brahmbhatt said he came to Canada from India at the age of 17, with the idea that he'd like to become an engineer (although he says he didn't know why). He enrolled in Lockerby Composite School's mining major program.
“It gives opportunity for a tech class to design a mine and go in front of Hatch engineers and present it,” Brahmbhatt said.
“It was one of the best experiences of my life, to be a 17-year-old, to present in front of a group of professional engineers, and get invaluable feedback.
“That stays with you for the rest of your engineering career. That's one of the days that inspired me to say 'Yes, I want to do engineering, and I will do it right here.'”
Brahmbhatt shared his story at a Jan. 30 press conference where Hatch announced a $250,000 commitment to Laurentian University over five years.
The donation will provide a scholarship fund for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the university’s Bharti School of Engineering.
Hatch's “generous gift” will help students reach their academic goals and dreams, said Brahmbhatt.
Bruce MacKay, Hatch's regional managing director for Western North America, said students who receive scholarships will also be offered co-op placements at the company's Sudbury office.
“We've found that scholarships help the students directly, but they also allow us to create a connection directly into the student body,” he said, adding that 19 of Hatch's 150 local employees are LU grads.
“Many of them come to work for us, so it's a good way for us to make a connection early.”
The partnership with the Bharti School of Engineering is “critical” for Hatch, a global design and project management company that works in a variety of sectors, including mining.
“Sudbury is a very important office for us,” MacKay said, adding that the company is celebrating its 30th anniversary in the Nickel City.
“It's one of our three major mining centres in the world … Having a connection with really the only university in town is very important.
“Laurentian is becoming much more significant as a mechatronics school, but also as a mining engineering school.
“As we do a lot of that type of work at Hatch in Sudbury, it's very important to have that connection so we become known in the student community here, and people feel comfortable coming to work for Hatch.”
Markus Timusk, director of the Bharti School of Engineering, also praised Hatch for its commitment to developing future engineers.
That includes participation in elementary and high school robotics programs, since many students decide to study engineering thanks to these programs. It also includes mentoring LU engineering students and providing co-op placements for students and jobs for grads.
“On behalf of the Bharti School of Engineering and faculty and staff, I'd like to sincerely thank Hatch for their commitment to us and believe in our students,” Timusk said.
“It really means a lot, and we look forward to this being a continued relationship moving forward.”
Laurentian has seen a five-fold increase in enrolment in engineering in the past decade.
The program's growth was so large that it outgrew its old space in the Fraser building — by the way, that area was unfortunately flooded this week thanks to a water main break.
Last fall, the engineering program moved into the new Cliff Fielding Research, Innovation and Engineering Building.
“In addition to the growth of enrolment, we have record numbers of co-op placements of students — that has grown exponentially too,” Timusk said.
“We have some of the best stats in the country for post-graduate employment in the discipline of choice. That's emblematic of the quality of students.”
*An earlier version of this story misidentified Markus Timusk and Victor Violin. Sudbury.com apologizes for the error.
