Co-Captain of UofT Concrete Toboggan Design Team
In this article, I explain my experiences leading a large design team which competes annually with an all-new vehicle.
As one of two co-captains of the UofT Concrete Toboggan Design Team, I focused on managing scheduling and outreach. In addition, I hired and managed a team of 12 leads, as well as over 30 general members.
Overview of Team
The UofT Concrete Toboggan Design Team is an entirely student-led design team consisiting of undergraduate engineering students from the University of Toronto. Every year, we design, simulate, build, test, and finally race a five-person toboggan down a ski hill against other Canadian engineering schools. We are part of the GNCTR competition, the oldest running engineering competition in Canada. The team consists of over 40 members, with 14 executives, including myself. All our executive members are chosen through an interview process. Our team prides itself on being open and anyone is able to become a general member and start working on the toboggan, which provides a unique challenge for leading the team. We also manage our own finances and logistics, with an annual budget of over $80,000.
Above: This year’s (2024) toboggan racing down the hill in St. Johns, NL.
Planning and My Role
As one of the two co-captains, I mainly focus on the scheduling, planning, and day-to-day on-the-ground leadership of the team. This means making sure that execs have resources they need to perform their role, as well as making sure that tasks are staying on-track. I also complete daily safety documentation and ensure that PPE and other safety practices are in place, especially when working with concrete and carbon fiber. I also make sure that both expereinced and new general members are engaged and having a good time at our events. I also coordinate with UofT Alumni Office and Faculty to showcase Concrete Toboggan and recruit new members. This year, we have also taken on the responsiblity of helping ship nearby universities’ toboggans with ours to competition in St. Johns, NL.
Above: An section of the team’s Gantt chart I use for keeping the team on schedule.
Skills and Actions
I am constantly put on-the-spot in this role; I have to think quickly and make rational decisions that will affect the rest of the team. I have been able to hone my skills in communicating in a varity of modes with sponsors, third-party vendors and the GNCTR Organizing Committee, for example. I have also been able to learn about using tools like Microsoft Project and kanban boards to help plan and organize the many branches of the team.