What's Next/What Now Conference 2023

WNWN with sponsors

Registrations for the 2023 Conference have now closed!

The University of Waterloo is excited to host our annual What’s Next/ What Now Conference sponsored by Hydro-One on September 30th, 2023, from 10:00 am - 7:00 pm in person at University of Waterloo.

This full day, in-person conference for first and upper year engineering students will showcase a variety of guest speakers and workshops focused on helping participants navigate through both student life and career preparation.

 

Who is it for?

The Conference is split into two streams: 

What's Next stream is for undergraduate students who have at least completed their second year of university with a goal of supporting the transition into their first full-time job/career. 

What Now stream is geared toward supporting first year and second year students transition from high school into their new undergraduate experience.

As part of Hydro One's Women in Engineering Consortium, we are pleased to invite women and non-binary students from the following universities: University of Waterloo, Western University, Toronto Metropolitan and Ontario Tech University

Space is limited for each participating University. If your University slots are full, please add yourself to the waitlist as spots may become available. 

Please note: WNWN 2023 is exclusively for women or non-binary attendees, however, some men will be present in an organizational capacity.

What to Expect?

Network Opportunities

This conference is a great opportunity to meet like-minded women and non-binary individuals and expand your social and professional circles. You can make connections with industry representatives, faculty and peers that can open doors you might not have anticipated.

Expand Your Knowledge

Choose from a variety of workshops and sessions designed to help you succeed in your professional and personal endeavours. Our panel discussions comprise of women leaders from diverse backgrounds, helping you gain new perspectives and ask questions to learn more about topics you're interested in.

Hands on Skills

Choose between one of two hands on workshops that help develop technical skills and increase your confidence!

Free food and swag

You will be provided with free lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the conference. Every attendee will also receive swag!

Update your LinkedIn Headshot

Come and get your headshots taken for free!

Have Fun!

Conference Costs

Thanks to our generous sponsor, Hydro One, this conference is entirely free for participants. Transportation to the University of Waterloo will be arranged for participants from Toronto Metropolitan, Western and Ontario Tech Universities.

Registration

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR THE 2023 CONFERENCE.

Registration is free and available within the UWaterloo Engineering Outreach system. Please follow the steps below to register for the conference:

1.  Create an account in our registration system under 'New user sign Up' with your name and preferred email for contact. 

2. From the homepage, click the 'Start application' button under What's Next What Now Fall 2023.

3. On 'Step 1/6: Select People for Registration' choose your name, enter the required information and hit continue. 

4. When entering grade, please enter your current University year (ie. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th).

5. Please select either the What's Next or What Now conference session and click Add to cart. You may only add one session per participant. 

6. Under session options, you will be able to select which workshop options you are interested in participating in throughout the conference. Please note space is limited in each session and are spots are filled on a first come-first serve basis. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.

7.Fill out the required forms marked with a red asterisk.

8. Review your information to make sure it is accurate and confirm your registration.

9. That's it! You will receive a registration confirmation to the email connected to your registration account. Please make sure you have the wie@uwaterloo.ca email whitelisted to make sure you receive our emails. 

We will follow up at a later date with additional conference details and everything you need to know to join us this Fall. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Schedule

Below you will find the general conference schedule for each stream. Follow us on Instagram at @uwaterloowie or check in here to learn more about the conference including sessions details and panel discussions!

What Now Stream Agenda

This stream is for 1st and 2nd year students

Time Program
9am-10am Sign in and Receive Swag Bag
10am-11am

Conference Kick-off and Keynote speech

Zuliana Mawani-Vice President and Operations Manager - Water for AECOM

11am-12pm

Panel Discussion

How do I keep up with all my courses? How will I make friends? How do I make the most of this university experience? These are some questions you may ask yourself as you prepare to return to an in-person learning environment. Our goal to create a safe space to ask those questions and for us to give you a well-rounded perspective and a sneak peek into student life.

12pm-1:30pm

Networking Lunch and LinkedIn Headshots

A Chance to network with fellow participants over lunch and an opportunity to take LinkedIn headshots.

1:30pm-3:00pm

Hands-On Workshop

Option 1: Car Care with AutoCate

Option 2: Build an Assistive Device with Makers Making Change

3:00pm-3:15pm

Break

Short break before we begin the next session. Coffee and snacks will be available.

3:15pm-4:15pm

Workshops and Sessions

Participants will choose which two workshops they would like to attend throughout the day.

Option 1: EnginEATING: Eating Well for Engineering Students

Option 2: Do I belong here? Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Option 3: Optimizing Linkedin

4:15pm-4:30pm

Break

Short break before we begin the next session. Coffee and snacks will be available.

4:30pm-5:30pm

Workshops and Sessions

Participants will choose which two workshops they would like to attend throughout the day.

Option 1: EnginEATING: Eating Well for Engineering Students

Option 2: Do I belong here? Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Option 3: Optimizing Linkedin

5:30pm-7:00pm

Dinner and Closing Remarks

Join us for a dinner to continuing networking, reflect on the day and play some fun games to win prizes!

What's Next Agenda

This stream is for 3rd and 4th year students.

Time Program
9am-10am Sign in and Receive Swag Bag
10am-11am

Conference Kick-off and Keynote speech

Zuliana Mawani-Vice President and Operations Manager - Water for AECOM

11am-12pm

 Career Panel Discussion

We are inviting panelists to share their career experiences, personal anecdotes, and challenges as a gender minority in engineering. Our goal is to have a diverse panel in various career stages to discuss personal/professional development.

12pm-1:30pm

Networking Lunch and LinkedIn Headshots

A Chance to network with fellow participants over lunch and an opportunity to take LinkedIn headshots.

1:30pm-3:00pm

Hands-On Workshop

Option 1: Car Care with AutoCate

Option 2: Build an Assistive Device with Makers Making Change

3:00pm-3:15pm

Break

Short break before we begin the next session. Coffee and snacks will be available.

3:15pm-4:15pm

Workshops and Sessions

Participants will choose which two workshops they would like to attend throughout the day.

Option 1: Obtaining your P.Eng

Option 2: How to navigate the early days at your first tech job 

Option 3: Personal Branding with Avanade

4:15pm-4:30pm

Break

Short break before we begin the next session. Coffee and snacks will be available.

4:30pm-5:30pm

Workshops and Sessions

Participants will choose which two workshops they would like to attend throughout the day.

Option 1: Obtaining your P.Eng

Option 2: How to navigate the early days at your first tech job 

Option 3: Personal Branding with Avanade

5:30pm-7:00pm

Dinner and Closing Remarks

Join us for a dinner to continuing networking, reflect on the day and play some fun games to win prizes!