Info session for the new Start Up Experience for Engineers course offered at the UBC Okanagan's School of Engineering

1. The Start-Up Experience
for Engineers
Alon Eisenstein
Assistant Professor of Teaching
December 10, 2021
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A course-based Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experience
For graduate engineering students (MEng, MASc, PhD in Civil,
Electrical, Mechanical and Manufacturing)
Learn about entrepreneurship and the start-up work environment
Complete 180 working hours with a technology start-up
Expected outcome:
Students can answer “is entrepreneurship/start-up for me?”
What is this course about?

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Technology-based (hardware/software is integral to the business)
For engineering students to find relevance
Preferably based in Kelowna (but not limited to)
In-person experience is irreplicable
Early stage (product/service in development but not scaled)
To maintain relevance to the course
Small in size (ideal team size of 2-20 people)
To afford meaningful mentoring with potential for impact
A start-up that is a good fit for the course is..

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180 working hours in engineering-related work (unpaid*)
15 hours/week (avg) between May 16 and August 11
Support your company’s growing needs
Product design, Bus. Dev., Project Management, etc.
Scout for early talent
International students, MEng have 4 – 12 months internships
Connect with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering
Talent pipeline (Co-op, internships, alumni)
Industry/academia collaborative funded research
What’s in it for me?

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Assign work in engineering-related tasks/projects
Expose students to the inner working of a start-up company
Train, guide and mentor students throughout their work
Submit work performance evaluations (mid-term and final)
Provide a meaningful working/learning experience
Students earn academic credit
You invest in effort
What is expected of me?

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Apply to offer a placement opportunity: https://ewil.ok.ubc.ca
Provide the following details:
- Company’s name
- Website
- Location
- # of founders and employees
- A short description of the start-up
- Your company’s logo
- The work experience offered:
• Position title
• Position scope
• 1-3 skills needed
I’m interested, now what?

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Submit placement offers by January 15th
Interview student applicants until February 11th
Submit candidate preferences by February 18th
(students will submit their placement preferences)
Placement matches announced on February 25th
First day of work – starting May 16th
(sign NDA, set up work schedule, determine outcomes)
What’s next?

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I’m here to support you!
Information and application: https://ewil.ok.ubc.ca
Email me at: alon.eisenstein@ubc.ca
Got Questions?