Technology program right choice for Crewe
7/19/2007 10:33:12 AM
When Shannon Crewe enrolled in College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Process Operations Engineering Technology program, he knew he had found a program that was right for him.
Offered at the college’s Corner Brook campus, the program provides training in three high paying, high demand industries – pulp and paper, petroleum and mining.
“It was still a new program when I chose it,” Crewe says of his experience at CNA.
Like many students, Crewe was unsure of what field to pursue after high school, but with a little help from the staff at CNA he found a program that suited his interests.
“I was enrolled in another program, but spoke to councilors and ended up going through the Process Operations Engineering Technology program instead. I did some research on it and the college urged me to call some of the students who did the first year and I found that they were pretty pleased with the program.”
The location was also a deciding factor since he wanted to study close to his hometown of Corner Brook.
Now at 24 years old, Crewe has been employed in Edmonton, Alberta since November 2006.
“I work for Baker Atlas which is a division of Baker Hughes. We are a wire line company for the oil field. My position is as junior field engineer and I’m still in training.”
And he has found his training at CNA useful to his job.
“Process Operations Engineering Technology provided me with a broad base of courses related towards the petroleum field. I have gained technical knowledge in applications such as fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, material science, millwright, and the operation of machinery, quality control, environmental protection and cost control, along with a petroleum course,” says Crewe.
“The core of my program is supported with courses in process control, automation, chemical and environmental engineering, mechanical systems, information technology, and electrical/electronics technology. This well-rounded program has provided me with a strong base of knowledge and skills which are helping me succeed as a Field Engineer for Baker Atlas.”
However, he plans to return to his home province in the future and says the experience he is getting in Alberta will help him find work at home.
“I would like to return as soon as possible. I will be here in Alberta for a few more years and if the opportunity arises I will be coming home. As for what field I’d work in, I'm not sure – I guess a management position in one of our major industries. Basically (I’d work) where my education and experience in Alberta will benefit me.”
Crewe adds that he enjoys his current job and urges those interested in the pulp and paper, petroleum or mining fields to take the program offered at CNA.
“I would recommend the Process Operations program to people. I enjoyed the program. It was very packed, but it was a good program and it had so many different aspects. I found it was well rounded overall.”
For more information about Process Operations Engineering Technology, contact Corner Brook campus at (709) 637-8530 or log on to the college’s website at www.cna.nl.ca.
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For more information contact:
Glenda McCarthy
Public Relations Assistant
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-6408
Or
Tanya Alexander
Public Information Officer
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7928