How Steam Whistle was able to divert the career plans of a chemical engineer.
By Michael Chu
Trish Yee has found her calling at Steam Whistle (Courtesy: Steam Whistle Brewery)
Completing an undergraduate and post-graduate degree in chemical engineering, Steam Whistle is probably the last place you would expect one with these degrees to end up.
But Trish Yee has defied the status quo and landed straight into the working environment of Steam Whistle.
Originally hailing from Vancouver, she has been asked this question countless numbers of times, especially from her parents. During her undergraduate studies at Queens, her passion started to wane for what she was studying and started to question what the future held for her.
“A lot of my classmates went over to Alberta,” says Yee. “I guess that’s where a lot of chemical engineers were able to go make a lot of money at that time. I couldn’t see if that was a life I could see myself enjoying.”
So she decided to continue pursuing her studies, her Masters in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto, with an option in environmental studies.
“I was blown away by the courses, the passion, the fact that this is really something that I care about,” says Yee, as her interest was renewed, given the environmental spin the curriculum provided, supplementing her passionate interest in the environment.
But this still doesn’t answer the question of how she ended up at Steam Whistle.
“I met a friend’s roommate, working events and retail for Steam Whistle at the time,” says Yee. “She was the first person that I had ever met, everyday, coming back from work, who would be so happy. She would always be raving about [work], and all these interesting people that she had met.”
Yee was inspired by this passion and enthusiasm and decided to apply for a summer job at the brewery, while studying at the University of Toronto.
Still being skeptical, she went in to the first round of interviews, essentially modeled like an open-casting call, where interestingly enough, most of the other applicants were students in the acting, drama and English literature fields.
“I was the only one that came [in] with a science background,” says Yee.
Nonetheless, Yee got hired and was inspired by many of the subtle nuances Steam Whistle exhibited differentiating itself from her own stereotypical views of the beer industry. In the place of beer girls, jocks, and fraternity like cultures, was a diverse work environment and to her benefit, an open organizational structure and plenty of opportunities to dip her hands in numerous functions of the company.
She is now the chair of the environmental committee, and working in the quality assurance department of Steam Whistle.
“I’ve worked certain odd jobs up in the office, done a day on production, gone out for marketing events,” says Yee. “You know this is a company where you are not really defined in a certain role, unless you really want to be.”
Given Steam Whistle’s supportive work environment – let alone its amazing and scenic view, at the footsteps of the CN Tower, Steam Whistle gives the employees an environment unlike most others.
“Working here do I not only feel fulfilled and exited to come to work,” adds Yee. “I am excited to see everybody when I come to work. It’s definitely the culture that is Steam Whistle’s greatest asset.”
(This is a first in a four part series spotlight on Steam Whistle Brewery)
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I like this article, it is encouraging for those who is in job hunting.
Trish’s smile proves that she is really enjoying her work with Steam Whistle.