Christina Thangarajah is a 4th year Arts and Business student majoring in Economics
Q: Why did you choose to study economics?
A: Currently, I am in my 4th year of the Arts and Business program, majoring in Economics, however, it was not always this way. I originally started my university journey in the AFM program, unsure if it was really something I wanted to do. After my first co-op experience in the accounting field, I soon realized that accounting just was not for me. When I made my switch into Economics, it instantly provided me with a gateway to explore various different areas of business, and really changed my perspective on the endless number of career paths available in business world.
Q: Where have you worked for co-op?
A: While enrolled in the Economics program, I had the opportunity to work at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in the Project Management Office. I never would have imagined that I’d be working at the company that manages my daily commute. Not knowing what project management entailed prior to this experience, I took advantage of my opportunity at TTC to learn more about it. Eventually, my time at TTC gave me the foundation I needed to conquer my next co-op position at Manulife Financial Corporation, as a Business Optimization Analyst. This position was a mix of project management and business process improvement which is something I really enjoyed. I loved the working environment so much that I joined Manulife once again for my last coop term, except this time, I worked in Change Management. No matter what company I applied to, I ensured that it was a step further to reaching a higher level, exploring different roles, and gaining new skills.
Q: What do you enjoy most about economics?
A: What I enjoyed the most about my program was the variety of economic concepts that were directly applicable or related to my work. It made me realize that there are much more roles in the workplace than the mainstream ones that we tend to think of for our specific major. There are many aspects to economics in the workplace and I have constantly used my work experiences to explore these different areas. Keeping your options open will really enhance your co-op experiences in the Economics program.