Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley, P.Eng.

Please tell us about yourself!

I’m descended from settlers and grew up on a grain farm in rural southwest Saskatchewan. I’m the oldest of two children and was one of 11 students to graduate from high school in Hazlet. I studied calculus via satellite out of Regina so that I would have the prerequisites to apply for engineering. I met my future husband, Steve, in first-year engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. We are now both professional mechanical engineers and live in Saskatoon with our two daughters, aged 12 and 14. Our girls love to play soccer and seem to have a knack for math and science like their parents.
  

Why did you choose engineering, and what is your area of specialty?  

I loved reading, math, and science from a young age. I first learned about the engineering profession when attending a career fair in Swift Current in Grade 11. I chose mechanical engineering, as I thought it would help get me a job in any industry. I ended up specializing in project and portfolio management later in my career.
  

Where and when did you study engineering, and how would you describe your experience?  

I convocated with distinction from mechanical engineering in 2005 from the University of Saskatchewan. While I had a lot of fun during my undergraduate degree, I also worked hard at my studies and completed an eight-month internship at Fording River Coal in the Elk Valley in southeastern British Columbia. I pursued an internship because, after three years of post-secondary education, I didn’t feel I understood what engineers actually did.
  

What are some of the most interesting, rewarding, and challenging roles you have held as an engineer?  

I spent the first 13 years of my career working in the mining industry in BC and Saskatchewan. I was able to visit many mine and manufacturing sites across North America, China, and Australia. One of the most rewarding jobs I had was leading the Capital and Maintenance Engineering team at Mosaic Colonsay. This was particularly rewarding, as I led the team I had been a part of for five years. I carpooled to the mine site with many different people over my time at Mosaic Colonsay and developed many long-lasting friendships. The most challenging part of my role as an engineer was being judged first by my gender, not by technical or leadership skills. I was often the only woman in the room and the only woman at the leadership table.
  

You also work as a diversity and inclusion research consultant and facilitator and have been recognized by Engineers Canada for your efforts in this area. From your perspective, where do equity, diversity, and inclusion intersect with engineering?

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is important for engineering because we need diverse ideas to solve complex problems like climate change and the energy transition. In solving complex problems, engineers also need to make sure to consider the traditional lands on which they work and live and the diverse populations they serve, and ensure that solutions they develop are equitable and accessible to end users.  

My privilege as a straight, able-bodied, white, cis-gendered woman and professional engineer means I can be an ally for Indigenous people, racialized people, persons with disabilities, and 2SGLTBQIA+ people, so perhaps they feel like they are valued for their leadership and technical skills.
  

Any mentors or role models you’d like to tell us about? What insight or wisdom did they impart?  

I have had amazing mentors and allies throughout my career. My biggest ally has always been my husband, Steve Huntley, P.Eng. An important mentor for me during my time at Mosaic Colonsay was Arlen Rosa, P. Eng. He had a knack for teaching his mentees to figure out the answer, rather than just telling them the answer. I did not have many women role models in the first 13 years of my career in mining, but through my graduate studies and my involvement as a board member with Women in Mining and Women in Nuclear Saskatchewan, I have met numerous highly qualified people of all genders who are role models, advocates, and mentors for myself and others. They’ve demonstrated the importance of embracing one’s identity alongside your technical and leadership skills.
  

What activities or interests do you enjoy outside of work? 

I enjoy gardening, paddleboarding, playing hockey, watching my kids’ sports, and travelling. My family and I toured through England and Scotland this summer to celebrate the completion of my Ph.D. and my husband’s MBA.