What Our Team Loves About Willowglen
Challenging and Impactful Work
Willowglen’s mission is to improve the planet and our customers’ prosperity through better automation and control technology. The work we do is quite literally changing the world. Our technology is at the core of the mission-critical systems in rail, oil and gas, and energy sectors worldwide. The scale of our impact is a point of pride for our Team. A central value all our employees hold is a passion and drive to make a positive difference in the world.
Great Culture
The supportive and collaborative nature of our Team is at the heart of our work culture. According to our Team, the Willowglen culture feels like family. At Willowglen, we embrace diversity. Less than fifty percent of our Team identify as North American, and we love it. The different perspectives and work experiences gained from our multicultural Team are invaluable.
Innovative Solutions
Our Team has a real passion for the technology we develop and its applications. At Willowglen, you will get to work on big projects of critical importance to deliver innovative solutions. A Team member stated, “We get to change the world through innovation,” which is something we are very proud of. The technology we develop is unique and often visionary, a lot of our technology is patented or patent pending. However, we do strongly believe in using open source software where possible. We follow international standards in integrating open source automation software into our solutions.
Stable and Growing
Our Team grew by 56% percent from 2020 to 2021 and by the end of 2021, our Team will be twice the size it was in 2019. Not only are we growing, but Willowglen is stable too. Willowglen has the innovative speed and spirit of a start-up with the stability of being a 50-year-old automation engineering company. Our stability is also thanks to our diversification. We execute business development initiatives across four primary industrial automation markets. Only 20% of our revenue comes from Oil and Gas. Our overseas business development spreads across five continents and includes two Global Fortune 500 and 12 FP500 companies.
Fun at Work
At Willowglen, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are a group that likes to have fun at work. Our lunchroom has Nintendo Switches and board games that the Team actively uses. We celebrate Steve Drake Day* with Hawaiian shirts and a bunch of mini-games throughout the office. Our social committee is very active and plans all sorts of events throughout the year.
*Steve Drake Day = A day that celebrates a local University of Alberta legend Steve Drake who is hailed as the king of procrastination for taking 8 years to finish his engineering undergrad degree.
The work we do is challenging and essential, so balancing that out with a playful and upbeat work culture is important to us. We have highly amusing conversations in our #random Slack channel.
Due to our Team currently working remotely, the Social Committee has been organizing virtual events to keep us all connected. So far we’ve had a Zoomtacular for Halloween, Christmas, International Women’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, and May 4th.
Living in Alberta
Alberta is home to the stunning Rocky Mountains, national parks, and one-of-a-kind outdoor activities like mountaineering, white water rafting, and icewalking. Both our Edmonton and Calgary offices are just a drive away from gorgeous emerald-green lakes and the majestic Canadian Rockies. Edmonton is four hours from Jasper National Park, while Calgary is only an hour from Banff National Park.
Newcomers to Edmonton and Calgary love the affordable and affable neighbourhoods. Edmonton has a thriving arts and theatre scene, chef-driven restaurants, and countless concerts and events. In the winter, Edmonton is a wonderland for activities like glacier walking, northern lights, and dark skies. Every season is festival season in Edmonton, which hosts the biggest and best events, such as Pride Month, Folk Music Festival, International Jazz Festival, and Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Home to one of the world’s largest rodeos, the Calgary Stampede, Calgary, is the place to experience the friendly hospitality of the west. With 12 diverse neighbourhoods, there’s an array of shopping, dining, and entertainment options to satisfy all appetites. Fans of the critically acclaimed video game and HBO television series The Last of Us can seek out all the locations featured and filmed in Calgary.
Living in Victoria, BC
The oldest city on the Pacific Coast, Victoria is a one-of-a-kind destination. Victoria’s west coast terrain flourishes with rainforests, beaches, and lakes. Blessed with sunny, temperate weather, locals enjoy year-round activities, such as hiking, kayaking, and biking.
The vibrant downtown core is easily walkable and has five distinct areas: Johnson Street, Fabulous Fort, Bastion Square, Government Street, and Food-Eco District. Victoria is also known as the City of Gardens, with several unique places, such as Craigdarroch Castle and Butchart Gardens.
Victoria is a city that likes to celebrate, evident in its dozens of annual festivals. To name a few signature events: National Indigenous Peoples Day, Victoria Pride Parade, and the National TD Victoria International JazzFest. There’s something for everyone in Victoria, from the arts to the great outdoors.
Willowglen Systems Covid 19 Response
The safety, health and well-being of our employees and candidates is our top priority. As we move to the post-pandemic stage, Willowglen Systems will continue to process applications virtually. We are utilizing technology to conduct virtual interviews and we are all set up for remote onboarding and orientation whenever needed.
Employees can choose between three working arrangements (when their role allows it):
- In-Person
- Hybrid
- Remote
Willowglen Systems aims to promote result-driven output with flexibility and convenience for our employees.