From a childhood curiosity with materials to a career in forensic engineering, Hamza Alami’s journey from Morocco to Canada now includes managing Ontario’s icy highways while dreaming of contributing to space exploration.
“One of the major tasks I am involved with is monitoring the frost within Ontario’s highways,” he explains. “During the spring season, the frost within the highways starts melting. I was charged with monitoring the temperatures on the highway layers with stakeholders and reporting the results to municipalities.”
While growing up in Morocco, Hamza had an early passion for science and materials that eventually led him to forensic engineering. Inspired by Carl Sagan, Hamza now intends to steer his career toward the Final Frontier.
“My personal goal is to get involved with space exploration programs as an engineer or a project manager,” he says. “I want to really lead and contribute to the mission of pushing science to its limits and exploring other worlds.”
Hamza, who holds a Master’s degree, Civil Engineering from the Private University of Fez (UPF), says coming to Canada in 2022 presented challenges; particularly in gaining local work experience. Hamza emphasizes the importance of developing soft skills and professional networking in overcoming them.
“In addition to technical skills, soft skills are very important. It (engineering) is the same language whether I am in Morocco, Canada, the US, or Asia. Networking and investing in your professional development are crucial.”
Hamza says OSPE played a crucial role in his professional journey, providing networking opportunities and professional development resources.
“If I tell a friend to invest in an OSPE membership or program, I tell them they will get ten or fifteen times what they invested,” he explains. “There is no other organization in Canada or Ontario that provides the same cohesive community. It is very respected by government bodies.”
Through OSPE events and mentorship programs, Hamza secured a position as an Engineering Associate for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation that matched his skills and background perfectly. “A series of events, such as the employment engineering event in Mississauga, allowed me to land a job that really fit my background and skills as a project management manager,” he recounts.
Hamza now mentors other engineers, helping them navigate the Canadian job market. “I am already engaged with a mentoring bridging program,” he says. “Each time I get an email from the coordinator, I feel pleased to provide assistance and share my expertise. Integrating new immigrants with engineering backgrounds into the workforce is very important.”
Hamza advocates for better support for internationally trained engineers, highlighting the need for bridging programs and policies. “Only 18% of internationally trained engineers are licensed,” he points out. “This number is very low. When I read other data sources, there is a huge discrepancy between engineers with Canadian degrees and those without. It is even more serious for women.”
As an internationally trained engineer who is licensed in Canada, Hamza’s journey from Morocco underscores the significant role professional organizations like OSPE play in supporting engineers. “Organizations such as OSPE were vital for me to network and to get to know the current trends in the engineering industry,” he says. “They also helped me invest in my professional development.”
Hamza’s story reflects broader themes in the engineering community, such as the importance of continuous learning, resilience, and community support. His journey showcases how engineers can overcome challenges, pursue their passions, and contribute to the advancement of engineering in Ontario. “We love solving hard problems,” Hamza says. “We see planes going back and forth over our heads, and it’s something very normal. I look forward to a future where travel into space would be very normal.”
Through his experiences and advocacy, Hamza continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps and contribute to the vibrant engineering community in Ontario.
Leave a Comment