National Engineering Month: Meet Madisyn
Engineers are integral to the work we do at Lockheed Martin Canada – from developing hardware and software to providing in-service support and maintenance for complex technologies. And our new graduate hires play a key role in the process, bringing fresh ideas and new perspectives to the table every year.
To celebrate National Engineering Month, we spoke with some of these new graduates to find out what excites them about coming to work every day at Lockheed Martin Canada.
For Madisyn, Hardware Engineering Associate, it's the hands-on experience that makes her job unique.
“On the compartments team, our work combines different facets of systems and hardware engineering, which is a unique position in the company. We work with all the different physical components from our partners and suppliers to figure out the best arrangement for every piece of equipment on a ship.”
Madisyn says that even before joining the workforce, she’s always been good at visualizing how the user will interact with each piece she’s working on: "Oftentimes engineers might have the best design, but they don’t always think about the mechanics of using it. That’s something I’ve carried with me in this role.”
That skill is especially significant when the end user is Canada’s naval officers. Madisyn works on the River-class destroyers, Canada’s future surface combatant fleet. These ships are designed to protect the Royal Canadian Navy and ensure Canada can monitor and defend its waters long into the future.
“It's so important to take into account how members of the Royal Canadian Navy are going to interact with the space on a day-to-day basis, so they’re as prepared as possible for every operation.”
Madisyn joined the team in a permanent position in June, following eight months of co-op with the company.
What surprised her the most about working for Lockheed Martin Canada?
"I think it was everyone’s willingness to answer questions. Engineers sometimes get the reputation of being a bit stuck up, but that’s not at all the reality here."
Even as a recent graduate, Madisyn says her team has given her a level of trust that allows her to take ownership of her learning and step forward with confidence.
She now supports the new co-op students on her team, having been in their position not too long ago.
When asked about the advice she shares with them, Madisyn emphasizes the importance of trying new things.
“I hated being told this as a co-op, but ask questions! And let your team know if there are things you want to try out, because this is the opportunity to learn about things you never knew you could be interested in.”
This advice comes directly from her own experience. She says she never would have discovered her passion for naval systems if she hadn’t taken a leap of faith years ago in her co-op applications. Now, every day is an opportunity to try something she hasn’t done before.