‘You’re not just a substitute’: Engineering student makes real impact during OPG internship
At a glance
- Mechanical engineering student Dawson D’Silva reflects on his successful 16-month internship with OPG.
- The student got hands-on with several projects while working at OPG’s Advanced Inspection and Maintenance division.
- He shares how he felt valued, cared for, and encouraged during his internship – and how he’s motivated for the future.
Dawson D’Silva is still coming off a high from his recent internship with OPG.
The Queen’s University student is currently in his fifth and final year as he works toward a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
But it was his fourth year of study – a 16-month professional internship with OPG’s Advanced Inspection and Maintenance (AIM) division in Pickering – that he says has given him a real head start.
“This job experience is probably the most important thing I have under my belt until I graduate,” said D’Silva. “I gained a lot of experience during my time at OPG, specifically on mechanical design and project management. Everyone – from my manager to other employees – was super helpful, encouraging, caring, and I felt highly valued.”
Each year, OPG recruits engineering students from universities and colleges for a paid work term directly related to their field of study. Students like D’Silva have an opportunity to work on a variety of projects that will complement their studies at school.
I gained a lot of experience during my time at OPG, specifically on mechanical design and project management. Everyone – from my manager to other employees – was super helpful, encouraging, caring, and I felt highly valued.Dawson D'Silva
At first, D’Silva was inclined to pursue an internship in the auto industry (D’Silva is a classic car enthusiast and part of the Formula SAE design team called Queen’s Racing). But ultimately, it was his interest in nuclear energy and OPG that won out.
“I knew OPG was the place to go,” he said. “I was pretty certain that if I got accepted into OPG, I’d take it. And I did. I ended up landing the exact role I wanted.”
While working in AIM, a division that uses innovative approaches to inspect and maintain OPG’s generating stations, D’Silva had the opportunity to make a real impact.
Among his most memorable projects was designing a rig to test transducers for an AIM research and development project.
He also got some hands-on time with Spot, a remote-controlled robot dog used to inspect hazardous areas in OPG’s stations and perform tasks. Working with another team member, he helped integrate a HEBI robotics arm with an Olympus Ultrasonic Testing probe, which gave the probe the ability to scan complex geometries using the robotic arm’s encoders. He presented this work at the OPG Community Power Expo in 2023.
Other duties involved designing rigging components, ordering parts and bolts, and preparing drawings of parts for vendors to manufacture.
“It’s not like other companies who hire interns to do low-level work,” D’Silva said as he looked back on his experience. “OPG is not like that. You’re here, you’re your own person, here to build up your own skills. You’re not made to feel like you’re just a substitute.”
After his successful stint with the company, D’Silva now looks forward to sharing his experience with third-year engineering students at Queen’s and others at job fairs and workshops – part of a leadership program he joined for returning interns.
He says OPG is a great company and nuclear would be an excellent industry to come back to.
“After working there for 16 months, you don’t truly realize how vast the company is,” he said. “There’s so much going on now, with small modular reactors and refurbishments. I think it’s a very good company to start a career because there’s just so much to do.”
Learn more about current openings at OPG and opportunities for students at opg.com/careers.
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