It’s been a long journey, but Kerri-Ann Williams, a recent graduate from the Biomedical Engineering Technology program at Durham College (DC), has found success in her new role as field service engineer, Technical Leadership at General Electric Healthcare (GE Healthcare).

Her new job began with a rigorous training program that gives new employees the opportunity to work with a wide range of medical equipment and maintain and install medical devices such as ultrasounds and X-rays. Once her training is complete, Williams will be a full-fledged field service engineer with key responsibilities including device installation, servicing, repairs, training clinical staff and providing excellent customer service.

A native of Jamaica, Williams moved to Canada in 2011 and began her academic journey with DC in 2013. She credits the college for its excellent learning environment that supported her education and gave her the confidence to participate within the school.

“The program had a strong focus on developing the technical aptitude and hands-on skills required in the field of biomedical engineering technology,” said Williams. “One of the key things I noticed during my placement was that I was very familiar with the procedures and jargon used by the various healthcare workers that I had to interact with.”

Academic success wasn’t the only thing Williams pursued while at the college; she held a number of positions outside the classroom including DC Experience team member, co-chair on a fundraising committee for the Alumni Association and a work study student for two years with the Strategic Enrolment Services office.

The opportunities within the school helped Williams demonstrate her strengths in the field and build her confidence, which led to receiving excellent references for her job search. As a new graduate, Williams offers a piece of advice to future DC students: “I want to encourage new students, especially new immigrants, to step out of their comfort zone and put themselves out there. Get to know your new home and the wonderful people.”