Engineer in training – Shujat

Shujat Khan may not have lightning in a bottle, but he does have lightning on his mind.

Halfway round the world

When engineer in training Shujat Khan brought his family Canada from Pakistan in 2005, he left with a bachelor's degree in engineering and the hope that his two children would receive a good education. Now, five years later he has a master's degree, a burgeoning career with SaskPower and a bright future.

When Khan's family first arrived in Canada they settled in Edmonton, where he pursued his master's degree in engineering management at the University of Alberta. After graduating in 2008, Khan was hired by an Alberta-based engineering company, where he worked until applying to SaskPower in January 2010.

"Fortunately, I was selected," he says with a smile.

Khan saw Saskatchewan and SaskPower as good choices for his career and his family. His wife, a doctor, saw opportunity in Saskatchewan as well.

"It was both things at the same time. [My wife] hoped it would be a good opportunity for her as well over here, so we were both happy. It was a family decision."

Riding the lightning

For someone so new to the company, Khan is already involved in a number of interesting assignments. A true engineer, his face lights up when discussing his current project: researching effective ways to mitigate lightning damage on power lines in the northern Saskatchewan.

"Actually, this is kind of a research thing, you know? If I find a good solution to this problem [then] I could use this as a research paper and it could be used as a model for other utilities."

Why SaskPower?

It was a family decision [to move to Saskatchewan]."

SaskPower has given Khan the opportunity to further his abilities as an engineer and a manager.

"I'm acting as project manager for (a) project… so from A to Z, the project is my responsibility," says Khan.