The Exposure Problem: Why I'm Giving Back to the Next Generation of Engineers

I never met an engineer growing up.

No one in my neighbourhood worked in AI or tech. I didn’t know robotics was even a thing, let alone a career.

So when I later found myself hiring AI and robotics engineers, and struggling to find passionate, qualified, diverse candidates, I saw the gap for what it really was:

We don’t have a talent pipeline problem. We have an exposure problem.

Giving Back Where It Started

This year, I had the privilege of handing out scholarships to students at my old high school for the second year. But the real story isn’t about me. It’s about Amandeep Mann, the kind of teacher who makes a difference. The kind of teacher who fills his classroom with standing desks, mechanical keyboards, and just enough nerdy energy to give kids that first aha moment.

I’ve been very lucky to have mentors, coaches, and teachers like that all along the way. People who nudged me, challenged me, and showed me what was possible. Without them, I don’t know what path I would’ve taken.

The Moments That Redirect Lives

Many of those key nudges came from Nancy Battet at Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB), who opened doors I didn’t even know existed. Because of her, I got to:

• Job shadow real professionals and actual engineers
• Represent Canada at an international space camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama

At a critical moment in my life, I met other ambitious students from around the world. It pushed me to dream bigger, eventually leading to unexpected adventures like running off to Belgium after high school, and ultimately shaped my path into engineering and tech.

These moments don’t just “inspire,” they redirect lives.

Building the Future, One Classroom at a Time

That’s what this scholarship is really about:

• No fanfare
• No complicated foundation
• Just backing the people who are already building the future

Teachers like Amandeep, and giving students that first taste of AI, robotics, esports, and engineering.

A Call to Action for Tech Leaders

📣 To my fellow tech founders and operators:

Supporting the next generation is easier than you think. It doesn’t take millions. It just takes intention.

If you’ve found success in this industry, consider giving a little of it back. A few hundred or a few thousand dollars to the right classroom can change lives.

That tiny bet on someone’s future? It might just be your next big thing.