Life is what you make it, and nobody knows that better than Stacey McLennan-Waldal, a data scientist who currently works in PwC’s Calgary office in the firm’s advanced analytics practice.
The low point for her professionally occurred three years ago, at a time when the oil and gas sector was hit with a double whammy – the onset of COVID-19 and slumping oil prices. McLennan-Waldal, who worked for an exploration and production (E&P) company as a chemical engineer, received a layoff notice, not while on the job, but while on maternity leave with her second child.
After realizing it was time to look for another profession in another industry, the start of the high point came when she signed up for a three-month bootcamp with tech education firm Lighthouse Labs.
It was, said McLennan-Waldal, an easy decision to make. “One of the roles I had held was as a reservoir