Justin Lau, 20

University of Waterloo, computer engineering

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I BUILT A COMPUTER in Grade 10.

I loved doing the research before buying the parts, so I decided to take computer engineering at the University of Waterloo because they have a coop program. We do six four-month coop terms between our four-month school terms. We work and study straight through the summers. I’m now in my third year.

My parents covered my first year of tuition and living expenses with an RESP, but I’ve paid for my tuition and other costs since then with money I’ve made during my coop placements. Currently, I’m earning $34 an hour as a full-time software engineering intern. I also have my own YouTube channel, called Jlau, where I make content about education, like what my program is like at Waterloo and how I got my coop placements. I earn about $10,000 a year on YouTube through ads and sponsorships. Companies like Al resumé builders and online-course creators will pay me to make sponsored videos for them. I spend seven to 10 hours a week working on my channel.

Housing: $0