Jennifer Scott

One thing Jennifer Scott learned from her placements with the WestLink Technology Commercialization Internship Program was things don't always go as planned in the business world. She faced the rigours of funding delays, personnel changes and some long days, but still says she wouldn't change a thing.

Before entering the internship program, Scott had finished an advanced diploma in technology management from Red River College. She had already earned her electrical engineering degree from Queen's University and found herself floating between jobs. “It's always nice to use your degree, but I like the shiny and new toys and wanted to be more on the cutting edge of technology," says Scott.

It didn't happen right away, but she started laying the foundation. At her first placement with Winnipeg's Red River College's Applied Research & Commercialization Office, part of Scott's duties included setting up and promoting the new full-service site. That included getting the website up and running, organizing a speaker series and connecting with researchers to let them know what services were available in the office. She also helped edit proposals and ensured financial statements were in order.

“While it was a good placement, it taught me that I like a faster-paced environment than academia," she says. “Talking to researchers can be a slow process and I like things to move a bit quicker."

Scott's next two postings would be with CCR Technologies, one in the company's business development side and the other with the section trying to develop a venture capital arm. For her first stint with the Calgary-based company, Scott spent most of her time creating a database that would help track costs and time for bidding. “There was a big body of knowledge available but it all sits in binders in the Houston office," she says. “The intent was to create this database to be used by the different offices, which would save time and add knowledge." As well, she worked on a project that tracked operating parameters for a vacuum distillation purification process.

During her time with CCR, Scott tried to land some funding to develop a new catalyst technology to sweeten sour gas, but it was continually delayed. “That was frustrating," says Scott. “But I've been told that it happens all the time in the business world and to use it as a test to see if you can outwait that money." When she left the posting, it still hadn't arrived.

In the venture capital sector, Scott originally concentrated on developing a pool of funds for separation technology in the oil and gas industry. But with different people coming and going from the company, she then shifted focus to looking for investment for one specific technology.

“It was the other side of the equation," she says. “It was interesting because as a student I worked at a summer job where we were developing a new product--digital television service--so I already had experience with that. I liked the idea of being able to try different things."

Scott now works with Mobiltex Data Ltd., a Calgary-based electronics design and manufacturing company focused on industrial mobile data communications systems. Its products range from devices used to monitor pipeline corrosion to working with scanners used by companies such as Federal Express Ground. Scott's current role is on the managerial or administrative side of the business where she works on claiming tax credits from the federal government's Scientific Research and Experimental Development program for funds spent on research and development. She hopes to start adding more responsibilities to her job.

“One thing I've learned about myself through the WestLink program is that I have to push a little harder if I want to take full advantage of opportunities," she says. “But just as important was the network development through WestLink and how my communication skills improved. I wasn't comfortable with either of those aspects before and I feel so much more confident in those areas now."