CTYA’s Blog has started a new Feature on Fridays, Thulirkal. Thulirkalmeaning bud reflects the young Tamil youth we will be featuring. These youth are the buds of our community, and are growing into strong, achieving young men and women! Each week we will feature a Tamil youth of the week. For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!
This week, we’ve brought you Top Talents Engineering Winner, Aravinthan Ahileswaran!!
The recipient for CTYA’s Engineering Award is a 4th Year Management Engineering student at the University of Waterloo who is very passionate about working within the construction field. His interests first began when he worked at construction sites during high school. Now as a university student, he has utilized his coop work terms at reconstruction sites at Bridgepoint Hospital, and various companies like PCL Constrcutors, McNally International & Coreydale Contracting to better his skills and knowledge. He was nominated for the Jim Brown Scholarship award for his exceptional performance, leadership, and commitment by his team at Brigepoint Hospital. He was also selected as the coop student of the year for his work. He was selected as one of the final 3 candidates for the award in the Toronto District amongst 50 other co-op students for the award. His goal is to become a district manager at the PCL Constructors and in this process encourages members of the Tamil community to branch out into the field of construction.
CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Aravinthan Ahileswaran for sitting down with us today. So, let’s get warmed up. Ok, now don’t think, just say what first comes to mind. 1, 2, 3…
Rather watch a Tamil movie or English Movie?
Toughhh one, but I would say English movies just because it seems like Tamil Movies are becoming too similar
Favourite World Wonder?
All forms of architecture but especially Pyramids & Burj Khalifa in UAE
Kotthu Roti or Biriyani?
Kotthu Roti
Superpower you would want?
Have the power to create equal opportunities for everyone in the world
Favourite Actor/Actress?
Actor: Vikram
Actress: No one anymore, used to be Asin
CTYA Blog Team: What sparked your interest in engineering and construction? Where you always interested in building as a child, or was it an interest you developed later in life?
Aravinthan: My interest in engineering in general came by the time I got into high school, this was mainly due to my strengths and interests in mathematics and in architecture of various buildings and structures. However, my interest in construction didn’t come right away, it was something that grew over time. This was because I was dragged out of bed every morning during my high school summer months at 5 in the morning by my dad to get to work. Even though this was something I hadn`t enjoyed I still had a great deal of appreciation for what was actually being done at work over the course of my high school. When I see any of the projects I had worked on nearly completed or completed I feel a sense of accomplishment when I drive by it. It gives me a great feeling as I was part of it, even though being there for few months might be a small part, regardless this gave me a great sense of pride and happiness. This was how my interest developed more and more over time and by the time I finished high school I knew want to move on from working for a sub-contractor to working for a general contractor who oversees the whole project instead of a portion of the project.
CTYA Blog Team: Tell us a little about the hardest project you have worked on, and how you were able to overcome some of the challenges of that project.
Aravinthan: On my previous co-op term I had returned to Bridgepoint Hospital to do my second co-op term there and as a result I was in an environment where they had already known my capabilities. I was presented with many difficult tasks that would not be given to a typical co-op student. I was given the responsibility of managing some of the sub-contractors to complete parking garage at the hospital and I was also given the responsibility of building a new office for full time site staff to work in the Old Don Jail as this was connected to our Bridgepoint Hospital project. This was a task that was certainly one of the hardest projects that I had worked on while I was at Bridgepoint Hospital. This is because this kind of required me to be a project manager, an architect and a superintendent.
I was presented with little over a month to design and build this office as this was vital to the overall project schedule. This office build required knowledge in all aspects of construction: structural, architectural, electrical & mechanical. Even though I had experience in construction, I was never given a responsibility like this and as a result initially I wasn’t sure how to approach this task, however by asking various superintendents and labourers I was able to manage this project and successfully complete the new office build. I was able to overcome challenges of that project by asking questions and if a sub-contractor had asked me something I didn’t know something I wouldn’t pretend and make assumptions to answer their questions.
CTYA Blog Team: When you look back to your university career, what’s one thing you would have done differently and would encourage current students to do?
Aravinthan: I don’t think I would be able to point out one thing there are many things that I would encourage students who are entering university to do:
– Quality not quantity
- o By that I am referring to the fact that you don`t have to study all the time, but you need to study smart
– Time Management
- o You will have a good amount of time for yourself if you do not put things off to the last minute and organize yourself and set yourself a realistic schedule
– Group Study
- o Make sure that you study the course material before you go in and study together as a group because you might not be able to learn things at the same pace as others
CTYA Blog Team: If you could name a new building in Tamil, what would you name it? Why?
Aravinthan: Suvarna Bhumi (Golden Land) – maybe I might not be able to name a building that just because it’s an airport name in Thailand.
CTYA Blog Team:Imagine yourself in 10 years from now, where would you want to be? What are some of the things you hope to achieve by then?
Aravinthan: I would like to be satisfied with my life and have a sense of accomplishment, but be motivated to accomplish more and more. I would like to have supported or helped our community in some way either directly or indirectly. In terms of career, I would like to have climbed the corporate ladder at a company and be a well respected worker.
CTYA Blog Team: Finish the sentence. “To me, Tamil youth are…”
Aravinthan: To me, Tamil youth are resilient. As a community we have continued to rise above adversity and showcase our strengths in a home away from home.
For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org! Catch up with us next Friday where we’ll be bringing you another Talented Tamil youth story!
