The Unobvious Ones is a month-to-month have a look at movers and shakers who fly under the radar within the Canadian auto trade.

PHILIP ASANTE

NAVIGATING AN INDUSTRY ROCKED BY DISRUPTION

Vehicles and airplanes may not appear to have quite a bit in widespread, however how their superior software program is designed could be surprisingly comparable. At Normal Motors’ Canadian Technical Centre in Markham, Ont., Philip Asante, DevOps (growth operations) and Integration staff lead, makes use of his aerospace expertise to assist design the automaker’s Tremendous Cruise autonomous-vehicle software program.

“I labored for Lockheed Martin, the place we developed flight-training units that mannequin the behaviour of a industrial plane,” stated Asante. “I used to be writing the software program for the autopilot and different avionics techniques.There are a variety of parallels within the software program that make up the Tremendous Cruise platform.”

Asante, 32, was at all times fascinated with plane and got here to Canada from Ghana to check aerospace engineering at Ottawa’s Carleton College. He graduated in 2012 and spent six years in that subject, together with at Lockheed and dealing on satellite tv for pc management techniques at MDA Techniques in Vancouver, earlier than he heard about a gap at GM.

“A variety of the know-how in aviation doesn’t change a lot, given the price of the units being developed, however within the auto trade we’re seeing a variety of disruption, with know-how occurring in a matter of years. I used to be in search of one thing more difficult, and this world appeared to supply this.”

He joined GM in 2018 as a software-integration engineer, bringing collectively the elements to help Tremendous Cruise. Asante at all times tried to enhance processes to hurry up growth. Ultimately the corporate formalized his enhancements into its techniques, which led to his present position.

“I lead a staff of eight folks. We be sure that our builders can write code shortly, however protect the protection and integrity of the autos.”

Above all, he’s capable of apply his previous expertise. “GM is huge on security and I really feel that the protection facet we will convey from aviation is appreciated right here.”

HEATHER PETERS

CUSTOMER CARE NEEDS A PERSONAL TOUCH

The COVID-19 pandemic required firms to undertake new methods of doing enterprise. At Subaru Canada in Mississauga, Ont., that concerned routing exterior calls made to move workplace to workers nonetheless working from house.

“All of us use the [Microsoft] Groups utility, and so they set me up at house with my monitor and headset,” stated receptionist Heather Peters. “Somebody calls in and I take advantage of my mouse to reply the cellphone, after which I switch the decision.

The draw back: “I’m not seeing folks, and I miss that non-public contact,” stated Peters. “On the desk, I’d greet guests, settle for the mail and courier deliveries, and take care of the vegetation within the foyer. And I’d do issues like sending items on anniversaries, or flowers to new dealerships.”

Her job additionally included processing paperwork from sellers for rebates on gross sales to graduating college students or mobility modifications.

Peters is at the moment coaching for a brand new position as a customer-care liaison, serving to potential prospects with automobile purchasing and offering present prospects with service and guarantee data.

Peters, 56, studied workplace administration on the Toronto Faculty of Enterprise. After commencement, she grew to become a receptionist and workplace clerk at a safety-products firm.

“I labored in quick meals as effectively, however I used to be at all times in some form of service, as a result of I like seeing folks.”

A staffing company despatched her to Subaru as a short lived receptionist in 2006. Subaru needed her to remain and she or he did.

Peters sees her upcoming customer-care position as an extension of her expertise on the entrance desk.

“I’ve been doing customer support for 15 years and that is simply including a brand new aspect to it. However now I’ll be speaking to them as a substitute of transferring the decision to others.”