Gaining practical experience for real-world success
An ideal blend of in-school and industry learning experiences has enabled Paolo De Lagrave-Codina to develop strong foundational expertise in financial mathematics
Over his four years in the undergraduate program, Paolo De Lagrave-Codina has taken part in multiple co-op placements in the financial or data units of major organizations. These four- or eight-month paid opportunities have included working as an IT analyst at the Canada Revenue Agency, an associate data analyst at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, a trading operations intern at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and a business systems analyst at TD Bank.
“The co-ops were very different from each other, so they allowed me to hone in on what I liked and didn’t like,” De Lagrave-Codina says.
In the program, he has learned about economics, financial instruments, statistical techniques, managerial finance and computer science. Through case studies and practical investing experiences, students become prepared for careers such as financial analysts, actuaries and data analysts.
Beyond his academic pursuits, De Lagrave-Codina also represents math students in the Faculty of Science Council, where he provides input to improve the program. As the former president and current vice-president of the Financial Mathematics course union, he has organized Pi Day celebrations and talks by industry professionals.
“Getting involved in the course union helps create connections. You get to meet a lot of industry leaders,” he says. “It helps you develop leadership skills, and looks really good on a résumé.”
De Lagrave-Codina’s academic and extracurricular accomplishments have been recognized with the C. Roy Horney Award, and with a second-place win at a TMU Data Science Association case competition, where he used a Statistical Analysis System (SAS) data analytics tool to simplify a company’s product line.
“As a relatively smaller program, you get a lot of personal attention as a student—people are very willing to help you,” says De Lagrave-Codina, who will start a master’s degree in data science at the University of British Columbia. “With all the practical industry experience provided by the co-ops, I have gained valuable skills that are going to be useful in my next step.”
Discover how math plus finance equals successful careers for these financial mathematics grads.