Charting Her Path: Sarena Zhang's Growth from Co-op to Designer

At Entuitive, we take pride in sharing the journeys of our team members as they advance in their careers. From student placements to full-time team members, each path is unique. Today, we’re excited to highlight the journey of Sarena Zhang, who transitioned from a co-op student to a full-time structural designer, working primarily with our Residential team. 

We recently caught up with Sarena to learn more about her experience, the exciting projects she’s contributing to, and what she’s hoping to achieve as she continues to grow with Entuitive. Sarena, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. To kick things off, how did it feel to be offered a full-time role after your co-op? I was so happy when I received the offer. I’d been hinting to my manager and supervisor that I wanted to come back because I genuinely enjoyed working with the team. It was such a relief to have it confirmed before returning to school, so I didn’t have the stress of job hunting during my final term. I was also glad to be placed back with the same team from my co-op term. I had built strong relationships, and it just felt like a natural continuation. Another highlight was being able to take some time off after graduation to travel before starting full-time. The team was super flexible with that, which I really appreciated. Now that you’ve settled into your full-time role, how has your day-to-day changed?

There’s definitely more responsibility now. I’m learning a lot more and working with other teams outside my own, which I didn’t do much during co-op. The learning curve is steep, but I enjoy that because it keeps things interesting. It’s been a great opportunity to grow my technical skills and collaborate with new team members across offices. Can you tell us about some of the projects you're currently working on?

Right now, one of the biggest ones is the Lansdowne 2.0 project in Ottawa. I joined the project a bit later on, so I had to jump in quickly, but it’s been a great experience. I’ve been working on the footings and foundation walls, as well as designing concrete slabs.

Rendering of Lansdowne 2.0.

I’ve had experience with these before, but this is one of the first times where the scope I’m responsible for is much larger in terms of design, which feels very rewarding.

I’m also working on 2 Tecumseth, a residential tower in downtown Toronto. I’ve been involved in the below and above-grade slab design including outdoor amenity spaces. 

. Rendering of Lansdowne 2.0.

Looking ahead, what do you hope to achieve at Entuitive? 

There are so many people here I look up to. I’ve only been in my full-time role for about nine months, but I can already see how much I want to grow. Right now, I still ask a lot of questions, which isn’t a bad thing, but I want to reach that point where I’m confident in my engineering intuition and judgment. 

One person who inspires me is Karim Hamouche, an intermediate designer on my team. He’s involved in design, site visits, construction admin, and coordination with architects. He’s a great example of how there’s always something new to learn in this industry. 

What do you see for your future career at Entuitive? What advice would you give to co-op students who are just starting out?

Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Ask for more work, take on new tasks, and be open to trying things you haven’t done before. Structural engineering offers so many opportunities if you’re willing to explore them. 

Also, get to know people beyond your immediate team. That helped me better understand the company culture and feel more connected. I joined the social committee and helped host a trivia night during my co-op term, which was so much fun. It’s the little things that help people remember you and make the most of your time here.

Thank you for chatting with us, Sarena! We’re excited to see where your career at Entuitive will continue to take you! If you have any questions for Sarena, reach out here.