Eric Cook's decision to pursue a career in the energy industry with Lakeland's heavy oil and power engineering (HOPE) program was a last minute one, and one that has led him to a rewarding, exciting career.

Coming out of high school in Lloydminster, the Class of 2021 alumnus wasn't sure what direction he wanted to go for post-secondary studies. He visited Lakeland's campus, was impressed by the energy labs there, met with a few instructors, and his mind was made up.

“I just fell in love with it,” Cook says. “And I've enjoyed it ever since.”

His experience in HOPE was a unique one, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It challenged him in ways he hadn't anticipated, but with the support of his instructors, Cook was able to adapt and succeed despite the challenges.

“My first year was in person, for the most part,” Cook explains. “COVID hit as I was finishing up my first practicum and everything moved online. It was a different experience for me. There was a lot of learning how to adapt and buckle down. I am one of those that struggle to learn on a computer, so it took a bit to figure out what worked for me. The instructors were awesome support and really understanding.”

Cook credits his first practicum at Paradise Hill North with confirming what he had hoped was true - working in the energy field was what he truly wanted to do.

“It was great,” he says. “It confirmed that this is something I want to do as a career and it motived me to see it out and finish up the last year of school.”

After his second year in HOPE, he took a practicum placement at ConocoPhillips, where he realized just how well Lakeland's hands-on learning model had prepared him for the real world.

“I spoke with a couple other students from other schools up at ConocoPhillips and they had very different experiences than I did,” he says. “They're coming into a pretty big plant that's intimidating on its own and they've never turned a valve before. It's a lot more stressful for them. The lab experience was such a big part of my experience at Lakeland. It did a great job of preparing me for what's to come in the field.”

Cook also found tremendous value in working with instructors who had a wealth of industry experience.

“There were so many bits of information that weren't necessarily course material that I had to help me as well,” he explains. “Tips and information from the experienced instructors I find those carry over, whether it's about safety or something else. It's stuck with me as I've started my career.”

His practicum led to a full-time contractor position with ConocoPhillips.

“I love it,” Cook says. “I'm still in the honeymoon phase of it. I'm enjoying every day. I look forward to going back and enjoying camp life.”