Carleton Master of Engineering Practice Alumni Thrives in Canada’s Data Science Sector

Canada’s demand for data science professionals is rapidly increasing as businesses, government, and research organizations rely on data-driven initiatives. The field will continue to expand as the demand for analytics, machine learning, and data governance expertise remains essential.

This expanding landscape sets the stage for the success of graduates like Krish Gondaliya, whose academic and professional background set him up to excel in the field. Krish completed his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering (B.Tech. CSE) from Nirma University in India before pursuing his graduate studies here in Canada. He joined the Master of Engineering Practice (EP) program in the Software Engineering stream as it aligned closely with his technical expertise and interests.

Soon after graduating in December 2024, Krish secured a position with the Government of Ontario as an IT Analyst in the Advanced Analytics unit. In his role, he builds reports using modern tools and contributes to projects exploring how AI and machine learning can support policy development. The position draws directly on the practical skills he gained at Carleton and helps him contribute to Canada’s thriving data science sector.

Choosing Carleton’s Master of Engineering Practice Program

“The EP program seemed like a good option for my academic background,” Krish says. He was drawn to the program because it offered practical, career-focused, and advanced technical courses. Additionally, he gained hands-on experience with project management and strengthened the technical communication skills that he now uses daily in his role.

Krish benefited greatly from the program’s projects and coursework, especially the Data Analytics course. He’s glad he took it, as he now sees clear connections between what he learned in class and what he applies in his current role. The course introduced him to essential concepts such as data visualization, clustering algorithms, dimension reduction, and classification techniques. “The course had the right balance between being challenging and engaging. It really gave me a solid foundation for my role today,” Krish says.

Transitioning from the Classroom to Career

With his growing interest in data analytics, Krish saw the provincial government as the ideal place to begin his career. He was motivated by the chance to work on projects that support those who reside in Ontario while using the technical skills he developed at Carleton. Krish completed his degree in December 2024 and soon after secured his first interview. He completed his online assessment in February and a second interview in March 2025.

By May, he officially received his offer as an IT Analyst. It was a lengthy process that had numerous steps involved, but he found that he learned a lot along the way in terms of what the recruitment process is like here in Canada.

Krish secured his current role through the Ontario Internship Program (OIP), a competitive pathway, but his experience at Carleton gave him the confidence to move forward in the many-step process of securing the position. To prepare for his interviews, Krish leaned on his experience at Carleton. “During my interview, I presented a project that I had completed as part of my coursework,” he explains.

He credits his experience working in Carleton’s Water and Ice Research Lab (WIRL) as a key factor in building his confidence. This opportunity served as a great learning experience and a chance to gain hands-on experience working on projects in his field. Krish first joined the lab as a Research Assistant from May to December 2024. During this time, he helped optimize databases for Arctic weather and environmental data storage.

He later continued at WIRL as a Computer Programmer from February to August 2025, where he worked under the supervision of Professor Derek Mueller in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and contributed to projects such as development work for the Silanga project’s website and related application features to support data access and visualization. Additionally, he worked on software and data workflows for Arctic monitoring, focusing on organizing and processing field and remote-sensing data. This work also earned him the Word Warrior Society Bursary and played a major role in helping him stand out during the recruitment process.

Adjusting to the Canadian Workforce

In his current position as an IT Analyst, Krish works alongside other teams and ministries as part of a collaborative IT cluster within the Ontario government. “It’s rewarding to know that the work we do has an impact. Every project teaches me something new,” he says.

His role reflects the effort and strategic planning he put into his transition from student life to the Canadian workforce. Transitioning from being a student to working full-time in Canada can carry some challenges, but Krish emphasizes the importance of being proactive. “Networking is really important,” he says. “You have to connect with people, seek references, and start applying to jobs early, even before you finish school. It will put you at an advantage.” Krish also recommends that students make full use of the resources that Carleton has to offer, particularly by utilizing Carleton’s mySuccess portal.

Advice for Future Students

When asked what advice he would give to future international students who are considering joining the program, Krish emphasizes the importance of broadening your skill set and taking full advantage of the non-technical courses that you have at your disposal while you’re at school, because they will be extremely helpful in the workforce.

He also encourages students not to get discouraged, as he knows firsthand what it might be like to not secure the first job you have in mind. He hopes that students will be optimistic and understand that the timeline of the job search will vary for everyone, but to keep applying and working hard, as you never know which opportunity will be the one that works out for you.

For Krish, the journey he undertook as an international student to secure his current role as an IT Analyst in Ontario reflects not only his professional growth but also the resilience and adaptability that he has been able to showcase through his work ethic, confidence and by relying on the right support to get him there.