Faculty highlights: What makes TRSM stand out

TMU’s Business School, the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM), is known for combining skill-based learning with real life work experience. Located in busy downtown Toronto close to the financial district, the TRSM building always exudes an exciting energy. As a marketing major now in my third year, I can confidently say that TRSM has given me and other international students the competitive edge we need to excel in our fields. 

Here are the top three highlights that I think make TRSM unique:

1) Co-op Work Experience

In TRSM, we get the chance to participate in the optional co-op program and gain industry experience. With a 92.5% average co-op employment rate, the Ted Rogers Co-op program immerses you in your fields of interest so you can understand the industry inside out. It is a blended work-study program, which you can choose to enter after first or second year, depending on your program. Once admitted into the co-op program, you can gain access to TMU’s unique job portal which matches students with employers. Over the course of 3-4 work terms, which equals 12-16 months of work experience, you get the chance to build a professional network and gain career-relevant skills before graduating. 

When speaking to current students in the co-op program, I found that they value the development opportunities that the program offers, including a career preparation program which matches students up with an industry professional who can mentor them. Hanisha B. in the Business Management program also speaks to how the Business Career Hub prepares you with what you need to succeed as a co-op student.

The co-op program can give you the unique advantage of connecting with industry professionals who work and mentor in Toronto’s business hub and be the bridge between you and potential employers.

2) Career Development Programs

TRSM students can also apply to participate in unique career development programs focused on specialized experiential learning through the Business Career Hub. These programs are available in upper years for all students to take advantage of when they are preparing for work terms and jobs. My favorite programs where I have learned a lot from my peers and mentors are:

• Top 200 Program: The Top 200 Program picks the top 10% of TRSM students in their 3rd or 4th year, to participate in a program dedicated towards professional and personal development. Now in my second semester of the program, I feel that Top 200 is more than just a glowing sentence on my resume—it is also a way for me to build my confidence and find my unique abilities through which I can stand out. Founder André Serero, an accomplished professor and industry professional, facilitates seminars and workshops to train us on becoming strategic and ethical leaders. We also gain access to personal coaching, mentorship from successful alumni, along with a wide network of professionals in business industries such as real estate, entrepreneurship, law, marketing, etc. On top of a specialized focus on helping us build ourselves as competitive and skilled professionals, the program has also taught me the importance of values like empathy, compassion and integrity in business.

• Sales Leadership Program (SLP): After taking a course on effective persuasion in my second year, I realised that I have an interest in sales as a career! I joined the SLP program to work on my sales skills. Through international sales case competitions, role-playing, “improv” and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) learning opportunities, and live sales projects, I improved my presentation and leadership skills. Students in this faculty-led program gain skills that go beyond just sales, learning ways in which we can innovate and collaborate to produce high-quality work.

3) Industry Training through Ted Rogers Bootcamps

TRSM offers industry and facilitator-led bootcamps teaching technical skills from Graphic Design to Python. Held both online and on campus, these bootcamps taught me how to solve industry problems. These intensive long-scale programs can award students with credentials, certifications and opportunities to attend industry events. With a different schedule each semester to match current industry trends, Ted Rogers Bootcamps help you become job-ready as early as your first year. Cheryl L. who is studying Business Management in the Economics and Management Science major in her third year shares her favorite experiential learning opportunity in TRSM.

With a year left in my undergraduate journey at TRSM, I feel lucky to have had access to so many resources and opportunities on campus. Through bootcamps, group activities, networking events and career workshops, I have gained a wide array of knowledge about the marketing industry I am passionate to work in.