As he began thinking about the next stage of his career, Aqeel Awadia, MM-A ’24, became interested in learning more about management and seeking mentorship opportunities. But he also wanted to ensure his technical skills remained fresh in an ever-evolving field, and the Ivey Master of Management: Analytics seemed like the perfect way to achieve all of those goals.

“I had already transitioned into the data engineering space, and Ivey seemed like a good place to get more formal knowledge in this area and help accelerate my career,” says Awadia, now a Senior Data Engineer at Sun Life.

“For me, it was a longer-term approach, where I could learn more about management and strategy, and interact with senior leaders in a different way.”

For Awadia, the technical and business aspects of the program were equally important. Given his background in electrical and biomedical engineering and his role in a financial company, he was looking for a deeper understanding of the overall industry. He also wanted to be prepared for coming changes around AI and Big Data.

“It's a really well-balanced program, right from the first semester,” he says.

“You get to meet a lot of people with different backgrounds – some who have no technology experience and others who only have technology experience, and you learn how to work in data within any discipline.”

Awadia also appreciated the way the technical courses were approached – and how his instructors focused on big-picture thinking.

“Technology is always hard to teach because it changes so fast, but they did a good job of saying: ‘These are the things you look out for, and these are the things that we have to be aware of as leaders,’” he says.

“Some of that aligns with the work that I do day-to-day when we encounter new platforms. How do you approach that? How do you learn certain nuances of the language? I think that's more useful than coding – it’s more about the essence of what you're doing.”

He has found the Case Method of learning has helped him think about how to balance decisions and think strategically at work, and also provided “intangibles” around how he communicates with his colleagues and approaches problems.

For anyone thinking about embarking on the MM-A, Awadia recommends making sure they know why they want to do the program in the first place.

“It’s a big commitment, so you should have an idea of how you think this fits into your career,” he says.

“And make sure you have a strong support system to get you through those moments when you feel overwhelmed.”

For Awadia, the effort was worth it.

“The MM-A has given me some good perspective on the type of leader I want to be, and a broader sense of how I'd like to contribute to my organization and community,” he says. “I approach work and life with new curiosity.”