Co-op work terms offer incredible learning opportunities for Mashrur

Why did you choose UBC? 

I am from Bangladesh and I wanted to study in Canada because I thought Canada would give me opportunities to build a rewarding life and career. I was accepted into several universities in Ontario, but I felt that the west coast and UBC offered a better work-study balance.

Any highlights from your engineering education?

I loved second year when I started taking courses with the other students in the mining cohort. It’s a very close-knit community – you know all the other students and the industry is small enough that you often cross paths with local leaders. The department is also so supportive. The profs are fantastic – you can always drop by their office to chat about your courses or anything that’s on your mind! 

I also served as the Second-Year Representative for the UBC Mining Undergraduate Society. Even though I had to step down after four months to start my early co-op, I made the most of my time in the role by helping peers navigate coursework, sharing study resources and encouraging students to participate in department events. It was rewarding to be a bridge between students and faculty, and to contribute to building a stronger, more connected community within the program.

You’re now working at Fording River for Glencore  – tell us about this position! 

I am at Fording River, a mine that supplies coal for the steel industry. I am on the mid-range planning team, where we focus on how we can improve existing designs to make them more efficient. My role involves designing ramps and haul roads that are safe, efficient and align with both operational needs and long-term plans. A big part of my work is acting as a connection between the short-range and mid-range planning teams — I help ensure that designs are practical in the field and that we maintain alignment across different planning horizons.

It’s been a great learning experience because I get to balance technical design work with collaboration across teams. 

I also enjoy being able to go into the field, see my designs being implemented, and talk with supervisors and operators to gather feedback. That kind of on-the-ground insight helps me continuously improve my designs and understand the real-world impact of planning decisions.

Fording River

Any goals for the rest of your time at UBC?

I’d like to hike and travel more this year. I’d like to continue getting the word out to incoming UBC students about how great mining engineering is. When you work in mining, you are part of an industry where your work is making a difference and supporting all elements of our world and quality of life. 

I also want people to know that working in mining is a lot of fun – you’ll be working with great people. Mining jobs in very remote areas are often fly-in/fly-out jobs on a 14-day rotation shift. Or you can find yourself living in a beautiful area like Sparwood – I see elk and other wildlife all the time and go hiking and camping on my days off. Or you live in areas like Fort McMurray, where you get to experience living in a northern environment. 

There are lots of career opportunities, too, with more jobs than people able to fill them. Finally, there’s the satisfaction of seeing your ideas come to life or being involved in finding ways to make existing operations more efficient or sustainable.