Valedictorian Jacob Gregory graduates from Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician program with technical skills, industry experience, and lifelong friends
There is one thing Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician graduate Jacob Gregory will not let control his life: the fear of failure.
The Valedictorian for the School of Trades and Technology, Arts and Heritage, and General Arts and Science hopes his convocation speech inspires graduates to not let the fear of failure steer their lives. “Step out of your comfort zone and take risks,” said Jacob. “That is the only way to learn, grow and achieve greatness.”
Jacob came to Fleming College for the technical skills to deal with control systems, robotics and electronics in a lab environment. “Fleming has one of the best engineering labs when it comes to this type of work,” he explains.
Through the Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician program, Jacob said he developed critical thinking, communication, teamwork, mechanical and electrical design, computer networking, electronics, process controls, automation controls and troubleshooting skills.
“My experience was amazing,” said Jacob about Fleming College. “I got the technical skills I desired, I got industry experience from the co-op, and had instructors and classmates turn into lifelong friends.”
One of Jacob’s favourite moments in the program was when the system works after hours of wiring PLCs and computers to sensors, and programming computer code to automate the system. “There is no better feeling than turning on the system and it working just like you designed it,” he said.
Jacob describes the Fleming community as inclusive, positive and friendly, and he “100%” recommends the Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technician program to others.
“There is so much work in the instrumentation and controls world. More and more processes are becoming automated and they need people who can design, run and fix these systems,” he explains. “The lab facilities are state-of-the-art and the instructors have been in the industry for a long time.”
Jacob received a job offer from Ontario Power Generation to work as an Instrumentation and Control Technician Apprentice at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, and plans to start work after graduation.