Bridging classrooms and careers: A day in the life of an applications engineer with Siemens EDA at the University of Saskatchewan 

On March 8, 2025, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) became a launchpad for future innovators as students from engineering, computer science and disciplines outside of STEM gathered for a unique career exploration event hosted by Siemens and USask Career Services. 

This event wasn’t just about career discovery; it was part of a broader initiative to address a growing challenge in the tech industry: the shortage of early-career engineers. Siemens EDA team and USask are working together to close this gap by building awareness of the applications engineer role, supporting pre-career training and creating experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for the day-to-day work at Siemens.

Siemens’ new Expedite — Skills for Industry microcredential is designed to help students gain and verify key skills for today’s engineering workplaces. Learners can enroll now on Coursera or visit our website to learn more.

This event supported students from humanities and social sciences backgrounds as well. The diversity of career pathways at Siemens was represented at the event through communications-focused aspects of the challenges, with students working in small and multi-disciplinary teams.  

During the full-day event, early-career applications engineers led a brief introduction to the fundamentals of place and route using Aprisa. Then, small and multi-disciplinary teams dove into a simulated discovery call, followed by a technical challenge faced by their customer. Each team was required to work together to ask uncovering questions, pitch Aprisa, then solve a novel challenge while promptly replying to customer questions. In a flurry of activity and excitement, all teams resolved the technical issue within the time allotted. 

By the end of the day, students experienced the fast-paced, problem-solving nature of Siemens’ work culture and learned about the diverse career paths available. More importantly, they saw how interdisciplinary skills — combining technical knowledge with communication and customer engagement — are increasingly vital in the tech sector. 

This event is part of a larger strategy to equip students with the tools and experiences they need to transition confidently into the workforce. By fostering early exposure to industry expectations, Siemens and USask are helping to build a stronger, more prepared pipeline of engineering talent. 

Student voices 

• “Networking and teamwork were the most valuable insights.” 
• “I got an excellent idea of what the average day could look like as if I was a real new hire.” 
• “The discovery call was particularly informative. It helped underline what it’s like to deal with a customer.” 

Watch a student share what they learned at the event. 

Looking ahead 

This collaboration between Siemens and the USask is more than a one-time event; it’s a model for how academia and industry can work together to address the engineering skills gap. By investing in experiential learning and early career development, we’re not just preparing students for jobs, we’re preparing them to lead.  

Reach out to Wenona Partridge, learning architect at the Saskatoon Siemens EDA Centre of Excellence, at wenona.partridge.ext@siemens.com for event materials and resources if you would like to host an event like this at a university or college in your area.