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• From Western Engineering to the Deep Sea: Alum Jim Wodehouse on global projects, emerging technologies and engineering with purpose

From Western Engineering to the Deep Sea: Alum Jim Wodehouse on global projects, emerging technologies and engineering with purpose

From offshore Brazil to the Pacific Ocean floor, Jim Wodehouse, BESc’79, has built a global engineering career rooted in problem-solving, adaptability and leadership.

Now Vice President of Projects at Deep Reach Technology, Inc., Wodehouse works in emerging sectors such as floating offshore wind and deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining. In this alumni spotlight, he reflects on how his Western Engineering education shaped his career, what it’s like to lead projects in a nascent industry and the advice he has for today’s engineering students.

You graduated from Western Engineering in 1979. Looking back, how did your education there help shape the foundation of your engineering career?

My engineering degree from Western helped me develop strong problem-solving skills. Analyzing a problem—whether technical or commercial—breaking it down into component parts, and developing a plan to solve it, is something I have been constantly refining, and it started in engineering school.

Moving overseas at a relatively early stage of my career (three years after graduation) to work in non-Canadian and non-American companies was also very formative. Working with people from different cultures and backgrounds taught me what motivates people to do a good job—and it is very rarely money.

Management styles, attitudes toward leadership and communication approaches differ from country to country. Understanding these differences was key to learning how to manage people on major projects in an international industry like offshore oil and gas.

What does your new role as vice president of projects involve and what excites you most about this next chapter?

Deep Reach Technology is a small startup involved in several emerging industries, including floating offshore wind and deep-sea mining. As part of the management team of a small company, you’re asked to take on many responsibilities beyond your job title.

In addition to executing our projects, I’m involved in business development, hiring and training personnel and corporate strategy. It’s challenging but also exciting to identify market opportunities, assess our company’s ability to pursue them and then bring together the right mix of experienced consultants and new graduates to grow that part of the business.

Because these industries are so new, it’s almost impossible to find young professionals with direct experience. Instead, we look for people with the right educational background and work ethic, then give them opportunities to learn and build confidence. We never have enough funding to grow as fast as we’d like, so progress takes time—but it’s very rewarding when we move forward.

Deep Reach Technology is currently managing a pilot deep-sea mining project for the University of Tokyo. Can you explain the purpose of this project and why it matters right now?

The goal of the project is to produce an environmental impact assessment for Japanese authorities considering licensing deep-sea polymetallic nodule collection, as well as for Japanese companies evaluating potential investments in deep-sea mineral development.

The project involves establishing an environmental baseline and monitoring how nodule collection affects the deep-ocean environment. This information will help determine whether Japan wants this industry operating in its Exclusive Economic Zone—and under what rules.

The ability to collect polymetallic nodules containing critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese in an environmentally responsible way is especially important for a country with very limited domestic mineral, oil, or gas production and growing awareness of geopolitical risks that could disrupt global supply chains.

Deep-sea mining remains a nascent industry, with technology, environmental science and regulations evolving at the same time. The industry is developing new approaches in parallel, with the goal of creating a commercially viable sector that minimizes environmental impact while sharing benefits with stakeholders.

Engineers play an important role by sharing science-based information in a clear way so governments and the public can make informed decisions. Many organizations involved in deep-sea mining have been transparent in publishing environmental data and impact assessments, which helps counter misinformation.

For current Western Engineering students interested in offshore, energy, or emerging technologies, what skills or experiences would you recommend they focus on during their studies?

I would encourage students to take a wide variety of engineering courses across disciplines, not just within their specialization. Understanding projects from a big-picture perspective helps with innovation, managing multidisciplinary teams and running technically focused organizations.

Hands-on experience is also critical. That includes fabrication, construction, installation and operations. Design drawings and calculations are not the end product—they’re just the beginning.

It’s also important to engage with non-technical topics. Engineering does not exist in a vacuum and it is important for engineers to be able to engage with non-technical people on the social impact of technology.

Finally, follow international news, learn another language if possible and pursue travel or overseas work opportunities. Understanding how Canada and Canadians are perceived globally is valuable, as stereotypes often influence policy and business decisions.

Looking back, I wish I had spent more time in the education phase of my life—perhaps pursuing graduate studies or learning a trade. Most of us spend four years earning an engineering degree and 40 years in our careers. In hindsight, investing an extra couple of years in education would have been time well spent.