Author: Adiki Puplampu
Date: 27 July 2026
When first-time ELITE Program intern Keno Erivona watched movies and TV as a child, he always dreamed of being the smart character. Now a fourth year computer engineering student, Keno was drawn to his major’s mix of coding and hands-on electrical work. Working as a digital innovation and ecosystem engagement intern with the Alberta Advanced Manufacturing International (AbAMI) hub this summer, Keno is having a chance to make his childhood dreams come true and put his skills to work.
Keno’s role this summer is to lead work on the development of a database to coordinate and organize equipment and facilities resources for easy sharing within the AbAMI Hub and across the province of Alberta. The purpose of the database will be to help partners in industry, academia, and government find information, resources, and contacts related to equipment for manufacturing within the ecosystem of the hub and across Alberta. Though this isn’t his first experience with database design work, it is his first time working on a project of this scale independently. He’s enjoying the experience of having both a professional client and an internship host who he can learn from. Four weeks into his internship experience, Keno appreciates the process and experience of creating and then having the opportunity to implement his design vision, the professional environment (dedicated office and all), and the chance to build a rapport with his internship host.
While he’s been aware of the ELITE Program for a while and applied in the past, this is his first time in the program. As a first time ELITE Program intern, Keno is participating in the Wellness and Coaching series and feels that it is an integral part of his internship experience. Through the series, he’s learning important mental health management skills, including how to reflect thoughtfully on emotions and develop plans to address them so that they don’t negatively impact his life. So far, he’s appreciating the practical takeaways he’s getting from the program like how to journal more effectively.
Keno appreciates the emphasis the program puts on mental health, highlighting that emotions like anxiety don’t go away once you land your post-graduation job so it’s important to learn techniques early
“You won’t feel amazing and confident everyday so you need techniques to deal with challenges”
Now on the other side of the ELITE Program experience, Keno says that if he had to recommend the program to someone else he would emphasize the opportunity the program gives young people to get exposure to the industry. Right now the job market is particularly tough for students who often struggle to find positions in their fields of interest. Before landing with the ELITE Program, Keno had been applying to positions for almost a year. While Keno admits that it can be scary diving into a project at first, the experience shows that you can do things even when you think you can’t and that’s helped him grow as a professional and as a human being.
Looking to life post-graduation, Keno sees himself working with electronic devices as an embedded systems engineer. His dream is to have work that combines his love of coding with his desire to do hands-on work. Outside of work and school, Keno enjoys spending time in the gym for his mental and physical health and giving back to the community through mentorship, teaching, and volunteering. He’s been a DiscoverE camp counsellor, worked for the BrainSTEM Alliance, and is currently the Vice President Mentorship for Future Creators. So far through this ELITE Program experience, Keno has felt himself grow as a person gaining confidence in his ability to problem solve and see projects to their end.