Bridging the Gap Between School and Industry: A Student’s Experience at Westmill

This summer, we were proud to welcome James Banks, a Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Victoria, to the Westmill team as part of his engineering co-op.

James’ interest in the industry was sparked at a young age during a tour of his uncle’s sawmill—and that early curiosity has grown into a passion for mechanical design.

During his time at Westmill, James supported our sales team by:
✅ Creating new parts models
✅ Drafting technical drawings
✅ Updating legacy designs using SolidWorks

He shared how his co-op helped him bridge the gap between school and industry:

“In our design class, we used SolidWorks a little bit, but now I feel way more confident in my abilities and look forward to using them in school and throughout my career.”

When asked about his experience working with the team:

“This was my first time working in mechanical design, so I had a lot of questions. The entire design team was super helpful and often took time to explain the reasoning behind their answers.”

And his advice to future engineering co-op students?

“Practice CAD before your first co-op. The CAD experience in school isn’t enough. At Westmill, almost everything I worked on used SolidWorks, so I’m glad I familiarized myself with it beforehand.”

At Westmill, we believe in allowing future engineers to gain real-world experience and contribute meaningfully from day one. Interested in a co-op or practicum? We’d love to hear from you.
Supporting the next generation of innovators.