Ever wonder how ground coffee or dental floss gets packaged? Want to see work on improved lifting devices for those confined to wheelchairs or a utility trailer that will make work around home or the cottage easier? Curious as to how an innovative computer program can help make your favourite restaurant work more efficiently so that your evening out is more enjoyable?
Conestoga College technology students can answer these questions, and many more.
Practical, student-created, student-produced technical projects are the hallmark of final-year studies in many of Conestoga College's diploma programs in engineering technology and information technology. Skills perfected in this way produce better-prepared graduates, ready to help employers move forward in an increasingly competitive and innovative economic environment.
Projects in three areas -- computer programming, mechanical engineering design, and robotics and automation -- will be on display at Conestoga on Tuesday, August 15 for an audience of potential employers, College officials and faculty, and guests of the participating students.
Interested members of the public may attend, and admission is free.
The event is called Engineering and IT Showcase of Student Projects, and takes place from 1-6 p.m. in the ATS Engineering Complex located at Conestoga's Doon campus in Kitchener. Participating student teams are from three programs of study: Mechanical Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation, Mechanical Engineering Technology - Design and Analysis, and Computer Programmer/Analyst.
An added feature of the day will be the presentation of third-year projects by students in Conestoga four-year degree program in Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies.
All of these projects are designed to draw on the full range of skills these students have developed throughout their time at Conestoga, and emphasize teamwork as well as a comprehensive approach that includes concept development, feasibility studies, research, project management, analysis through consultation with professionals in the field, production, troubleshooting of problems, costing and budgeting, and full documentation of the project.
Conestoga's approach has merit, because the College had the highest graduate employment success figure of any public college or institute in the province - 93.7 per cent -- according to the Key Performance Indicator data released this spring by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
All the participating students will be on hand to present, discuss and answer questions about their projects.
In all, three fully operational types of robotic assembly line will be on display, as well as six fully integrated computer programming systems designed for a number of specific business applications, plus more than 25 detailed designs for a variety of practical machines to improve efficiency in industrial, commercial or personal settings.
CONTACT: Lynne Kattenhorn, 519-748-5220, ext. 3401, lkattenhorn@conestogac.on.ca