Nancy Ghuman
Energy Analyst at City of Markham
Master in Environmental Studies 2014
"Go beyond the classroom and get involved in as many things as you can. Set yourself apart from your colleagues, think beyond classroom learning, get involved in student groups and clubs, do an internship, and remember to have fun. These years are the most pivotal and fun years of your life. Moments like these will never be replicated, work hard but remember to have fun and cherish them."
About Nancy Ghuman
How would you describe your years at EUC, and did the program prepare you for your career? How?
I completed my undergraduate program in BES (Environmental Politics, Justice and the Arts) and also pursued my MES in Community Energy Planning . My time at EUC was rewarding. I had the opportunity to get involved in many different aspects of student life. I became involved with the student union, York Federation of Students, and was the Environmental Studies Director for 3 years. I volunteered my time as a Peer Mentor for incoming EUC students that may have wanted additional support adjusting to student life. I also got a part time job on campus working at The Underground, this experience allowed me to really get to know the university from a different perspective.
From my experience, the MES program prepared me for my career journey in energy management. In the program, I had the freedom to develop my own path for my master’s journey. This may not be good for everyone, but for me it was helpful, as it allowed me to explore my own areas of interest. The MES program provides students the opportunity to take classes outside EUC and this allowed me the opportunity to complete the joint diploma program with the Schulich School of Business in Business and Sustainability This was a very valuable diploma and learning opportunity that provided skills to me that I was lacking.
I was also fortunate to have had the ability to travel to Denmark and Costa Rica during my program. And, of course, I would not have been able to do this without the aid of EUC scholarships, which I took full advantage of (Recipient of Howard Daugherty, Powerstream, and Buddhist Society Scholarships).
The exploratory and interdisciplinary aspect of EUC is what gave me my competitive edge when entering the job market.
What’s your favorite/most memorable memory of your time at York University?
Outside of the amazing experiences I had traveling to Denmark to pursue research, the Las Nubes Semester Abroad in Costa Rica and researching for my Thesis; working part time on campus was most memorable. This experience taught me time management skills, also allowed me to be a part of a community on campus, it was a grounding experience.
Describe your post-graduation journey including experiences such as employment, volunteer work, community engagement projects.
I was very fortunate that post-graduation I was able to get a job within 2 months. This is largely due to me pursuing an internship at WWF while in school, holding part time jobs with Summerhill and building experience through the Graduate Research program with TREC. This graduate research program was a great way to learn about the energy industry outside of a classroom setting, and to building my network while gaining real work experience.
What is your current job title, or project you are working on, and how would you describe the work you do in a typical day?
Energy analyst - City of Markham
Working on making Markham buildings more energy efficient, while working towards a Net Zero goal by 2050. Working on a sub-metering program and a Smart Cities program. I analyze buildings’ energy usage, look for buildings not performing well, analyze utility bills, and ensure the correct rates are applied. I also engage with building operators and develop engagement tools on how the buildings can be run more efficiently. Overall, I look for energy savings.
If you could leave current students with a piece of advice, what would it be?
Go beyond the classroom and get involved in as many things as you can. Set yourself apart from your colleagues, think beyond classroom learning, get involved in student groups and clubs, do an internship, and remember to have fun. These years are the most pivotal and fun years of your life. Moments like these will never be replicated, work hard but remember to have fun and cherish them.
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