At Clearpath, we are always happy to give students an opportunity to try something new and gain some real-world experiences. What our co-ops are able to complete in such a short period of time is really awesome! Co-ops not only bring great talent but also amazing energy to our business.
Two of our co-ops this term share their experiences, what they worked on and what advice they have for our future co-ops!
Meet Claudia
Claudia is a 4th-year Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Waterloo. This term Claudia worked as an Applications Engineer on our OTTO Motors team.
Q: Why did you choose a co-op term with Clearpath?
I chose to work at Clearpath because they offer really cool products, I wanted to try working at a smaller company, and they seemed very invested in my personal growth.
Q: What did you work on this term?
I was working with the Application Engineering team. Some of my typical tasks include making fleet estimates, creating presentations for potential opportunities, generating renders for specific applications, setting up simulations, and writing proposals. A project I worked on was a cart shelving design for one of our customers. Other projects involved creating tools and templates to make our job more efficient and consistent. I also got to drive an OTTO 1500 self-driving vehicle (SDV) and set up a demo for a partner.
Q: What is your proudest achievement over the last four months?
Seeing people use the tools and content I’ve created.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Clearpath?
I have a weak spot for food. So normally I’d say the breakfast and snacks offered, but my favourite part is how helpful and collaborative Clearpathians are.
Q: If there is one word to describe your co-op experience at Clearpath, what would that word be?
Accommodating. Clearpath accommodates their employees’ schedules, by being able to work from home and having flex hours, and their career goals, by allowing them to try new things and gain new skills.
Q: What advice do you have for future Clearpath co-ops?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and if there’s a specific skill you’d like to improve, don’t be afraid to ask for tasks to help you with reach your goals.
Meet Graham
Graham is a 4th-year student at the University of Waterloo studying Mechanical Engineering. This term Graham worked alongside our Research team as a Mechanical Designer.
Q: Why did you choose a co-op term with Clearpath?
I chose Clearpath for the opportunity to do meaningful work. Lots of bigger companies just try to keep co-ops busy with small tasks, but Clearpath is still small enough that co-ops can contribute as a part of the team. Plus the projects are very interesting!
Q: What did you work on this term?
I was a Mechanical Design Co-op in the Research Solutions division. I designed parts for custom robot solutions, researched and tested new technologies to be implemented on research robots, and communicated with customers to make sure our robots would meet their needs.
Q: What is your proudest achievement over the last four months?
My proudest achievement was when the parts I had spend weeks designing and detailing finally arrived and I was able to hold them in person. It was the culmination of a lot of work and it felt great to hold a part that used to only exist on a computer screen.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Clearpath?
My favorite part is the culture. Everyone is serious about working but stays casual at the same time. Whether it’s lunchtime discussion, non-work related slack channels, or just chatting around the office, there are always interesting people to talk to about interesting things.
Q: If there is one word to describe your co-op experience at Clearpath, what would that word be?
Flexible. I’ve been able to discuss with my manager about the type of tasks I like to do so that they can adjust what gets assigned to me and I can do my best work.
Q: What advice do you have for future Clearpath co-ops?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but always make an attempt first. No one will be upset if you need help, they would rather you ask than if you stayed silent and made avoidable mistakes.
Interested?
If you’re interested in working alongside robot enthusiasts AND actual robots check out our Careers page.