After following his passions, including plenty of involvement in student community and events, UAlberta computer engineering graduate Ranek Kiil is taking a job with Amazon in Seattle, Washington.
Edmonton-On June 9, Ranek Kiil graduates with his undergraduate degree in computer engineering. In August, he begins his career, having accepted a job offer from Amazon. For anyone who knows him, this comes as no surprise.
"The signs were there very early on," said Kiil. "One of the earliest photos I have of myself as a small child is building Lego with my grandfather. We built a little windmill with a motor in it, and he is showing me how everything connects and work together."
Kiil developed a passion for computers and programing at a very young age.
In elementary school, a family friend gifted Kiil a book about JavaScript. "I taught myself to program using that and some other books from the library. It was a favourite after-school hobby."
"By the end of elementary school I knew I wanted to do something with computers," said Kiil. "I didn't know the term for what I wanted to do was until Grade 12, when a teacher suggested computer engineering to me. In retrospect it was completely obvious."
In high school, Kiil was busy taking International Baccalaureate classes, but recognized the need to develop his soft skills and creativity.
"I went to the librarian to ask if I could take ownership of the high school's website. I redesigned the website and built everything from scratch. I was looking for an opportunity to be expressive in a creative way and to do some of the skill development that the curriculum doesn't necessarily incorporate."
For Kiil, coming into engineering at the University of Alberta represented not only the opportunity to pursue his passion-computer engineering-but also an opportunity to round out his skills outside the classroom.
"I got involved with the Engineering Students' Society right at the beginning of first year. They were looking for someone to maintain the website, and I was looking for ways to get involved. Very quickly, some mentors in the ESS got me involved in other areas."
Getting involved might be an understatement.
During Kiil's tenure as a student at the university he has served as VP internal affairs, associate VP marketing and advertising, handbook co-ordinator and webmaster for the ESS; the information technology commissioner for the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students; the VP communications for the Western Engineering Students' Societies Team; as well as countless other community and volunteer roles, not to mention his four co-op placements.
In addition, Kiil has been awarded a number of prestigious awards, including the Sam Kolias & Family Community Service Leadership Award, the ESS Golden Gear Award, the Shell Canada Limited Scholarship in Engineering, the University of Alberta Computer Engineering 'Peer of Peers' Award, and he earned first place in Engineering Communications at the 2015 Western Engineering Competition.
Through all of the achievements and accolades, Kill has kept a simple view of his involvement and success.
"I followed a pretty consistent path. I've just been doing what I enjoy doing. I've identified what I think are needs and gaps in the community where I can develop my own soft skills, while giving back. So that's been my own motivation."
"The strength of the engineering community has really solidified what I've done while in university. The competitions I've participated in and the Engineering Students' Society have all been really neat experiences."
The future is bright for Kiil, and his time in the Engineering Co-op Program has set him up for the next step in his career.
"Co-op is really valuable because it lets you experience what different workplaces are like. It's given me perspective on what employers are looking for and what the workplace is like. It's been a really worthwhile experience."
All that experience has culminated in Kiil's next big step, a move to Seattle to work for Amazon.
"I feel like I'm pretty well prepared. Because of the co-op program I have a good idea of what skills are important in the workplace and I've rounded those out with the extracurricular activities I've been involved with."