During Canada’s National Engineering Month, Chaz Williams, who is from the island of St. Vincent, was featured by Yukon Highways and Public Works.
HPW says Williams is an energy technical specialist with their sustainable infrastructure branch and focuses on designing electrical systems, which helps with solar-battery projects and infrastructure for EV charging stations.
In the Yukon territory, it is up to the Department of Highways and Public Works to make sure that public roads, airstrips, buildings, and information systems are safe and work well.
Yukon is the smallest and westernmost of Canada’s three territories. It is also the second-least populated province or territory in Canada.
See HPW’s unedited interview below.
WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALITY WITHIN ENGINEERING?
I have a Bachelor of Engineering in electrical and electronic engineering, and a Master of Science in management and engineering. Before this job, I worked with a power utility company.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH HPW?
I provide technical advice on climate change adaptation, energy conservation, and renewable energy systems such as solar, micro-hydro, geothermal and biomass. Lately, we’ve been focused on understanding the impacts of climate change and how it affects Yukoners.
HOW WERE YOU INSPIRED TO PURSUE ENGINEERING?
My family has always been technically adept. They were involved in fields that benefit from cutting-edge technologies such as radio broadcasting, recording studios, sound engineering, computer hardware, etc. The inspiration came because of the aspects of my family businesses!
WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES OF WORKING IN THE YUKON?
I came from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a small archipelago in the Caribbean. The first challenge here is the winter! My first job had me working a lot outdoors and apparently my first winter was the worst in a long time. Just my luck!
The small community here reminds me a lot of the island community.
