Ayesha Sabouba, Director - Transmission and Stations Engineering, Hydro One
Ayesha always enjoyed math and science, and the likelihood of obtaining good employment after graduation is largely what attracted her to pursue engineering after high school. Ayesha attended Carleton University, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. She worked hard throughout her studies, and during the summers, as well. It was through her summer work experiences that Ayesha developed many of the skills that made her a strong candidate upon graduation. During the summer after her third year of studies, Ayesha worked on testing satellite equipment for Transportation Canada. The testing was very hands on, and she enjoyed the work. Therefore, when applying for full time jobs post-graduation, Ayesha applied for similar positions, and found that employers were very interested and impressed with the work experience she had already accumulated. As a result, Ayesha received several job offers. She accepted a position working for Ontario Hydro, stationed at the Bruce Nuclear Facility, in 1990. Ayesha jumped into the utility industry and has not looked back.
The Utility Industry
Ayesha has spent most of her career working for Hydro One, although she also worked for a Local Distribution Company (LDC) for a year. She has worked in several different positions and with many different teams at Hydro One. She notes that it has always been easy to find work in different areas of Hydro One, this also meant the opportunity to work in different regions across Ontario. For the first eight years of her career, Ayesha worked in the field at transmission stations. This includes her position at Bruce Nuclear, as well as additional roles in Muskoka and London. In each role, she worked in field protection and control, however, the nature of the work was different in each region. For instance, her work at Bruce Nuclear was mostly on site (due to the large size of the facility), and she worked primarily at the switchyard with a dynamic team. In contrast, her role in Muskoka was based out of Gravenhurst, where she would drive to smaller, more rural stations on a regular basis, most often by herself. Although the technical work that she was tasked with was somewhat similar at each location, the different sites, equipment, and nature of the work made each role unique and interesting. After about eight years in the field, Ayesha had deepened her technical skills, and felt as though she was ready for a change. With an abundance of experience in the field, she decided to make a career change into a corporate role at Hydro One’s head office.
From Field Work to Management
Ayesha has held various positions in head office since transitioning to corporate roles after her time in the field. She first started working in the Reliability Centered Maintenance as well as on research and development and standards programs. Shortly thereafter, Ayesha decided to return to school to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in order to help expand her knowledge and skill set for management roles. Ayesha completed her MBA in the evenings while working full time. Looking back, she explains how the MBA really helped her understand what management should look like, and helped her become a better leader and manager.
Currently, Ayesha is the Director of Transmission Engineering at Hydro One. She oversees all the engineering disciplines in transmission except environmental. Her team completes the designs for transmission, provides third-level support for field staff, and performs many studies requested by other teams within the company. A typical day for Ayesha includes several meetings with her team, as well as meeting with different groups within Hydro One to plan and manage issues related to projects, stations, and construction. Ayesha also spends her time reviewing and approving standards and technical reports, and ensuring that managerial tasks are taken care of as well. Much of the work that Ayesha does is centered on managing people and projects, and identifying and resolving the problems and barriers that her team is facing. She notes that her work in the field at the beginning of her career has been an invaluable asset to her now in management, as it provided a deeper understanding to the work she is doing now.
Overcoming Hurdles
As a woman of colour working in a predominantly male-oriented field, Ayesha has faced hurdles throughout her career. She explains that although the vast majority of people have been helpful and kind, there have been some that have insinuated a barrier. Although these people may not have outrightly acted as a barrier to her success, they have subtly implied that she should not be in her role. However, Ayesha expresses that it is critical to remember that just because someone has insinuated a barrier, it does not always mean that what he or she is implying is true. It is imperative that women and visible minorities continue to persevere to try to overcome existing and implied barriers, as sometimes the only difference between success and failure is those who keep trying.
Ayesha reflects on the time she heard Rona Ambrose (former interim leader of Canada’s Conservative Party) speak at a conference. Ambrose told a story about how she managed a situation where she faced sexism while waiting for an important meeting. Although the interaction that Ambrose experienced was condescending, she remained steadfast on her role, and made it clear that she was there to do her job. Ayesha explains how Ambrose handled this situation with such class, and highlighted the importance about being confident in the role you occupy. Similarly, when US congresswoman Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez publicly rebuked a peer’s demeaning insults in July, Ayesha was inspired by the response. Ayesha notes that often times when discrimination, harassment or sexism happens in the workplace, it is difficult to find a response on the spot. However, Ocasio-Cortez demonstrated that even if you do not respond immediately, it is important and powerful to respond when you have the opportunity.
Learning Deeply and Cultivating Meaningful Experiences
It is interesting, and perhaps ironic, that the electric utility industry has experienced so little change in the past several decades, yet in just the past few years, there has been vast transformation. Ayesha explains that despite her experience and insights into the industry, it is impossible to stay on top of all the changes that are happening. She recommends that those who are interested in the industry find the area they are most passionate about and learn deeply about this area. For instance, if someone is interested in regulatory standards, she recommends learning all about the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) standards that are applicable to large transmitters like Hydro One. Ayesha stresses the importance of learning deeply, because although she never went back to fieldwork after she moved into a role in head office, she relies on the knowledge base she cultivated during her early years for the work she does today.
For those interested in opportunities within the utility sector, Ayesha encourages seeking out related work experience, as her work experience throughout her undergrad degree made her a strong, skillful candidate for a variety of positions. She also explains how employers notice participation, whether it be through industry events or volunteer experience. Lastly, one key piece of advice that Ayesha explained is that regardless of what stage of your career you are in, you should be consistently working on being able to speak confidently in front of an audience. Ayesha explains that the ability to speak publicly and convey a clear, convincing message not only help gets you noticed by leaders, but also helps you influence change.