Meet Jamie, a second-year engineering student at the University of Waterloo who juggles rigorous coursework with multiple co-op placements. Having landed a coveted summer internship, Jamie is both exhilarated and bewildered by the competitive pay rates they’ve heard about among their peers. With a passion for robotics and a knack for coding, Jamie is often seen sharing their latest designs on campus and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, yet they can’t help but feel a mix of disbelief and excitement when they hear about staggering hourly wages in the industry.