Working at the cutting edge of the water industry

matt

Matt Holitzki

  • Degree: Bachelor of Applied Science
  • Grad year: 2023
  • Program:
  • Campus: Okanagan

Job: Staff Professional and Regional Reuse Lead – Canada, Carollo Engineers

Matt Holitzki is a self-professed “water nerd” who could happily talk for hours about everything to do with water treatment and water reuse. Since graduating with a degree in civil engineering, he’s been working for Carollo, a consulting engineering firm that focuses solely on designing and building water and wastewater treatment facilities. Read how this UBC Engineering alum has been using his technical aptitude and skills – since his very first-year engineering course – to make a difference.

 

What got you interested in engineering and how did you end up at UBC?

In my final years of high school, I went back and forth between engineering, mathematics and teaching, among many other career paths. One day, on my way to a swim meet in Kamloops, my family stopped in at UBC’s Okanagan campus to stretch our legs, and we happened to stumble upon the first-ever UBC Okanagan Engineering Open House. I spent the day meeting UBC students and profs, and had a great time learning about the projects students were working on and different career options in engineering. Within the span of a couple hours I’d already began to feel at home at UBC, and I decided on the spot that UBC Okanagan was the place I wanted to be, and that engineering was what I wanted to study! 

 

Any highlights from your time at UBC?

In our first-year engineering class we had to come up with a design for a clothing donation bin that would prevent people from climbing into them.

It was a great project because it helped students understand that they could use their technical knowledge to advance important social issues and make a difference in their communities. 

I was also interviewed and published in Macleans magazine – which was a highlight for me, but even more so for my grandmother back home in Nelson! 

Co-op was another great experience. I worked with PCL Construction in Vancouver for 12 months, and Kelowna for four. PCL is a North American leader in the construction sector, and my role involved a range of responsibilities. This included market analysis and opportunity tracking in the mining sector, estimating and construction of water & wastewater infrastructure, and building clean energy projects in rural British Columbia. My experience included a four-month, boots-on-the ground construction management role at a construction site in downtown Vancouver, where PCL was in the midst of a heritage redevelopment of the Vancouver Post Office.

I gained many new skills through co-op, including client management and business development, as well as learning all that’s entailed in reading, reviewing and ultimately building engineering designs. 

PCL Construction  Vancouver Post Office

 

How did you get your first job out of university?

During my co-op experience, one market sector stood out: water and wastewater. I thoroughly enjoyed building the systems that manage and deliver clean drinking water to communities, and I decided that I wanted to be on the other side of the industry, designing water treatment systems. 

Prior to my co-op experience, I’d attended a UBC Okanagan career fair where I met Stephen Horsman, a water industry veteran. Although he wasn’t hiring at the time, we kept in touch, and several years later he began to grow a Carollo Engineers presence in Canada. I messaged Stephen on LinkedIn to share that I really liked what his company was doing, and shared my experience from my co-op positions and passion for the industry. 

We went out for coffee, had a few more meetings and he offered me a job – and he’s still my boss!

Carollo Engineers

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carolla

 

What kind of work do you do at Carollo?

Carollo is an engineering consulting firm that focuses on one thing: designing and building water and wastewater facilities. We’re leaders in this space and have built a strong reputation for our innovative approaches throughout North America and beyond. 

I work with clients from around the world, including the US, the Middle East and Canada. My role brought me down to Seattle for eight months, but I’ve since happily moved back to the Okanagan! 

A typical day might involve reviewing the performance of existing treatment plants, designing chemical systems, or laying plants out in 3D SketchUp models. I’ve also spent time on construction projects; one of my major projects is in the midst of commissioning, where I respond to contractor questions, review testing plans, and am looking forward to upcoming time in San Diego to put the plant online! 

I’ve recently stepped up as the Regional Reuse Lead for our Canadian market, promoting water reuse to our Canadian clients. Reuse involves the recycling of wastewater to replenish our water supply, and is where my true passions lie. Reuse is the cutting edge of our industry, and there are many important ongoing conversations about water conservation, and achieving system resiliency through reuse. 

 

What do you like best about your job? 

I love the diversity and fast pace of this job. I might spend my morning working on a project that’s underway in California and then finish the day off focused on a project in Florida. The locations where we work are very different in terms of regulations, technologies that will be used, and source water quality characteristics. 

There are always new issues arising – like the need to find better ways to treat discharge to reduce elevated nutrient levels, or finding solutions to remove PFAS or other contaminants from drinking water.

Carollo is a company that invests in its people. Earlier this year, I had the chance to spend three days in Nashville with 30 colleagues from across North America. We toured water treatment plants, swapped stories and best practices, and connected over our shared passion for water –  and plenty of southern BBQ! I left with fresh ideas, new knowledge and a network of colleagues who now feel like family.  

 

Any advice for new students?

I went through school with the motto that everyone who graduates from an engineering program will have the same piece of paper. When you’re looking for a career, a degree and a GPA is not what makes you unique. What makes you stand out is your work experience, and the activities you’ve been involved in outside of the classroom. UBC provides incredible opportunities and it’s up to you to get after them!

Your time as an undergrad is for trying new things out, figuring out what it is that you like and where you may excel! I was initially introduced to the water industry through my 16-month construction co-op position at PCL. If I hadn’t had that experience, I would have had no idea that this was an area that I would absolutely love working in, and can now happily talk about for hours, much to the tired ears of my friends and family! 

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UBC is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm people (Musqueam; which means 'People of the River Grass') and Syilx Okanagan Nation. The land has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam and Syilx peoples, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history and traditions from one generation to the next.

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