Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has been delivering flexible, relevant, and future-proof education that prepares learners to lead innovation in their workplaces and communities. As one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes with five campuses, 300+ programs, and over 45,000 students enrolled each year, BCIT connects education, industry, and government in building an agile workforce.
BCIT is excited to announce Carla Lucero, Pedram Kheirkhah, and Matthew Puyat as Valedictorian for the graduating class of Winter 2024.
Carla Lucero, School of Health Sciences
Invested in community
As a student nurse at BCIT, Carla demonstrated outstanding community engagement through her participation in vaccination clinics for First Nations communities during the pandemic, substance-use harm reduction projects clinics and safe injection sites. Her passion for nursing also takes shape as advocating for the student body as a BCIT Nursing Student Representative. where she took part in the opening of the new Health Sciences building and the Teck-Copper Café on Burnaby campus. She also represented BCIT Health Sciences students in the BC Government’s Future Ready Action Plan announcement.
Committed to healthcare
To graduate with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, Carla had to overcome significant health challenges to complete the program. Her resilience was drawn from her passion for nursing drove her to persevere and finish her final semester in the program.
Make an impact with a career in nursing
BCIT is a major producer of nurses and other health professionals that are the cornerstone of the BC health system. The Institute offers one of the largest nursing programs in the province, with ten post-graduate programs related to specialty nursing needs in BC.
Start your career in healthcare today.
Pedram Kheirkhah, School of Construction and Engineering
Building a sustainable future
During his time at BCIT, Pedram navigated his own set of challenges of being away from family and friends. However, his passion for building sciences kept him determine to keeping his dream alive. His focus on finding solutions for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction became a north star for his journey in engineering.
Pedram further demonstrated his passion for the BCIT Master of Engineering in Building Science program by taking initiative to support fellow students in their studies. He was active in leading the Building Science Club, where he organized events and fields visits by connecting with speakers from the construction industry to ensure the success of all club initiatives. As a graduate of the program, Pedram now works in as a Project Consultant in the construction industry and contributing to a greener future in BC.
Be part of the change
The BCIT Master of Engineering in Building Science program prepares solution-driven graduates for the construction industry within a variety of work settings. The program focuses on focuses on applied research to provide solutions to industry problems and is supported by a strong foundation of research infrastructure unique to western Canada.
Sharpen your expertise in building science today.
Matthew Puyat, School of Computing and Academic Studies
A skilled programmer
Previously attaining a Diploma in Social Service Work, Matthew pivoted to the BCIT Computer Systems Technology (CST) Diploma program in 2021. During his time at BCIT, he gained the latest computing skills taught by industry experts in the classroom and immersive internship experience on the field. This includes spearheading the implementation of multiple core features of a wellness application for One Iota Performance – a startup committed to providing performance trackers for athletes.
Additionally, Matthew has proactively engaged in multiple projects of his own. In 2023 alone, he successfully developed Burnout, a web-mobile application offering users a competitive way of monitoring and recording their job applications, Gateway, an iOS/Android application focused on providing client summaries for medical practitioners, and Storefront, an online web application that emulates an online store. By the end of his program, Matthew has become adept in many coding languages, including Python, Javascript, and HTML5, as well as cutting-edge tools such as Git, mySQL, and AWS.
An advocate for student welfare
For Matthew, community has always been an important part of his experience at BCIT. Alongside his studies, Matthew actively advocated for the welfare of his fellow students by becoming Student Councillor for the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA), and then BCITSA Chair at the Downtown Campus. In his role, Matthew represented 1000+ students and regularly facilitated set representative meetings to provide students with a platform to voice and address program-specific concerns. His leadership was marked by the successful execution of a large-scale destress event at the Tech Collider, garnering the attendance of approximately 200 students.
Eager to place BCIT at the forefront, Matthew represented BCIT computing students through a victory at the first-ever YVR Smart Airport hackathon. This win not only underscored the collective skills learned through BCIT, but also garnered considerable media attention, including multiple press articles, a radio interview, and the honor of being featured on the cover of BCIT’s Year in Review for 2022.
After a momentous journey, Matthew is set to cross the stage with his peers in the 2024 BCIT Winter Convocation on March 6. Congratulations, Matthew!
About the BCIT Computer Systems Technology Diploma
The Computer Systems Technology (CST) Diploma program combines computer systems theory with hands-on practical experience in software development. This diploma is a widely recognized credential that employers highly regard.
In two years, you’ll learn software engineering and programming from industry professionals, and gain experience working on real projects, from concept to deployment. You’ll also have specialty options and industry projects add depth to further hone your skills.
Enroll in this program and emerge with the well-rounded skills essential for a career analyzing, designing, and developing software solutions.
Have questions? Contact our Program Advisors to get your BCIT computing journey started.