“NWS is a proactive partner that allows us to get in touch with the latest technology in instrumentation and assists us with creating meaningful partnerships with manufacturers.”

NWS and the School of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering Technology (SEMET) have worked together over the years to develop and advance an equipment-friendly environment on the Seneca Polytechnic campus.

SEMET currently hosts 13 specialized labs in computer engineering, electromechanical, and electronics engineering technology programs. In the electronics labs, where much of the Keysight equipment purchased from NWS may be found, up to 24 students per lab are tinkering and practicing there from their first semester until their last. Over the years, Seneca students have built a solid foundation of knowledge largely owing to their frequent use of the equipment in these labs, which has directly influenced their success in finding jobs in their respective industries upon graduation.

Success in the SEMET programs has been greatly influenced by ensuring the students learn equipment fundamentals early in their academic careers. A recent new endeavour with Keysight has integrated a specialized certificate directly into the second-semester electronics programs: students who meet the equipment handling and lab testing requirements will earn a “Keysight Basic Instrument User Accreditation” certificate of completion. Industrial certification has become a growing demand, and accreditation allows students to highlight their ongoing evidence of competency levels within their programs before graduation. Hopefully, these kinds of mid-academic accreditations will continue to grow and develop as the industry offers increased partnership opportunities and starts to request additional micro-credentials and relevant professional certifications.

Several electronics labs are used to prepare SEMET students for participation in an annual provincial competition, Skills Ontario. Many students from different programs have represented Seneca across numerous categories in the engineering technology skilled trades. Extensive equipment knowledge and practice in the labs directly contributed to the students’ successes in winning honours over recent years, including gold, silver, and bronze medals in key categories such as Electronics and Mechatronics. Some students went on to represent Ontario at the Skills Canada competition, also winning honours for Seneca in Electronics.

The electronics labs are instrumental when it comes to the three capstone project courses at Seneca. In December and April each year, SEMET has started hosting its own “Technical Project Showcase,” where graduating students present their final semester’s capstone projects at an event for industry and alumni on campus. As a nice way to wrap up what is usually quite a challenging final semester, the Showcase truly highlights the skills, work ethic, and unique interests the students have grown and cultivated throughout their academic careers at Seneca Polytechnic.

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