Rob Spewak

Rob Spewak admits he might be a bit different than his WestLink internship colleagues. While most of his cohort was attracted to the idea of biotechnology, clean energy is what spurred him along.

"I'm more interested in sustainable, clean technology—I think that's where it all starts," says Spewak. "And now I'm in a position that is offering me the opportunity to work on these types of projects, so it all ended up well."

As Research Manager for Red River College, Spewak supports any research activities taking place on the Winnipeg campus. That might mean canvassing faculty members and students to find help for greenhouses in northern Manitoba or finding literature reviews on recycled tires to make rubberized asphalt. "I'm involved with some really exciting projects," says Spewak.

Before Spewak applied for the WestLink internship, he was in technical sales and was travelling more than he liked. He felt his industry was "a bit archaic" and he was hoping to learn more about cutting-edge technology, especially if it was sustainable.

His first placement was at the University of Manitoba's Technology Transfer Office. Although he didn't see a case from the beginning to completion, Spewak was involved in a number of interesting files. He accompanied an inventor to an out-of-province visit and even though negotiations fell through, it provided a glimpse into "how it all worked."

From there, Spewak went to Beal Consultants, a Winnipeg-based company that offers strategic advice to help launch start-ups or improve the bottom line for established businesses. "We worked with everything from fast-food businesses to high-tech companies," says Spewak. "It was way out of my comfort zone because I was working with spread sheets and cash flow charts—things I wasn't used to. But I put in a lot of extra hours to get things done."

Spewak finished his internship with Red River College and worked on a business plan and feasibility study for CARSI, the Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure. Although it wasn't as quick-paced as his other two placements, he found the networking aspect of the job appealing. "Because we were revamping the old business plan, I met people involved in the original discussions and that was interesting," he says. "It was also a bit challenging because I more or less assigned and came up with my own tasks—but that was also a good thing."

Now, several months into his permanent job, Spewak is glad he left sales for the WestLink Internship Program. "Sales was a meat grinder," he says. "There was lots of travel, it was fun and I thought I was good at it, but the internship and making a career change was definitely the right choice for me.

"The internship touches a lot on how things work in this field. I might not be able to recite a patent law by heart but I know the basics and where to go for more information. I didn't have a bad placement, and I learned a lot."