Ashley Richard’s engineering journey begins within Cenovus’s New Grad Program
Ashley Richard, a born and raised Calgarian, embodies the spirit of curiosity and community. Her love of learning and volunteering led her to start her career in engineering at Cenovus Energy. Ashley thrives on challenges found outdoors and indoors and pushes her boundaries in various hobbies such as sports and piano.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Western University in Ontario, specializing in biochemical and environmental engineering, Ashley chose to kickstart her career through our rotational-style New Grad Program.
“Participating in this program has been a game-changer for my long-term career goals” shares Ashley, Production Engineer-in-Training at Cenovus. “It's not just about gaining hands-on experience across different areas of the company; it's also about developing essential skills in leadership, communication and problem-solving. I have learned that collaboration and communication are the cornerstone of creativity, innovation and success.” In total, Ashley will complete three 12-month rotations with a variety of teams at different locations across Cenovus.
Ashley is currently in her second rotation of the program working with our Lloydminster Thermal Production Engineering team supporting the Lloydminster thermal sites in west-central Saskatchewan. The work has helped her knowledge of the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process while giving her the opportunity to work with teams throughout the company to identify ways to optimize production.
In her first rotation, Ashley was immersed in activities at our Lloydminster Upgrader Complex, where she was part of the Unit Contact Engineering team, which is responsible for safely optimizing upgrader operations by troubleshooting, fostering continuous improvement, and improving reliability and efficiency. Her time on site not only expanded her technical knowledge, but her interpersonal skills as well, as her team navigated several major projects.
The New Grad Program supports participants in a variety of ways throughout their rotations. “The mentorship opportunities through the Buddy Program and educational resources such as lunch and learns, site visits, and technical courses are invaluable. The New Grad Committee is another important support for my personal and professional growth,” says Ashley.
“Ultimately, this program equips me with the expertise and insight needed to carve out a successful career path within the industry, and I'm thrilled about what is to come!”
LAST UPDATED: AUGUST 2024