After spending a month participating in seminars, workshops and field trips at various universities across the country, five local students returned home to complete a work term at Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA). The students were part of the summer enrichment program for high school students known as Shad Valley. During the program, students lived in residence halls at one of 10 participating university campuses across Canada. The program, run by university faculty and staff, focuses on science, technology and entrepreneurship. Every year, the program is given a project theme. Students collaborate to simulate a start-up venture, based around a product or service that addresses the theme. They then compete against the other teams at their university and the winners go on to compete in the RBC Cup. Shad Valley students then return home to complete a four-week internship where they can apply the lessons they learned through the program. PQA was lucky to have five students call its offices home for the month of August. The students completed their internship on August 21st with a presentation to staff and a celebratory barbeque.
