Management Career Services (MCS) once again brought business students to Toronto for its annual Toronto Corporate Tour. This event is held at the end of the winter semester to introduce business students to employer partners and career opportunities in a variety of industries. Representatives from MCS arrange office tours, practice interviews, and networking events for students who are selected to attend. “The Greater Toronto Area is our second-largest market for work terms,” says Robert Wooden, Director of MCS. “Last year, more than one-third of all MCS work terms were completed in Ontario, so we were thrilled to be back to engage with our employer partners and provide opportunities for our students to network in-person.”
The 2025 Toronto Corporate Tour took place from April 30 to May 2, with 32 business students attending one of two tour streams, Finance or Career Discovery, depending on their area of interest. The Finance stream focused on visiting employer partners in the financial services industry, while Career Discovery students met employer partners from a variety of industries, including accounting, marketing, finance, and supply chain.
First-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student Sebastien Sawler attended the tour as part of the Career Discovery stream. “It was an amazing experience—to be able to sit down with people working across different areas of business, hearing about their day-to-day, and asking questions you don’t always get answers to in the classroom. This tour definitely gave me a better picture of what’s out there and left me more excited about the future!”
During the three-day event, both tour streams visited a total of 12 employer partners, including the first stop, EY Canada. COO/CFO Sonya Fraser (BComm ’93) welcomed the students to Toronto and EY, and discussed a variety of topics including the value of the CPA designation, the importance of giving back, and her views on leadership. EY then hosted a practice interview session and networking lunch for the students. Volunteers from Toronto employer partners attended the event to conduct the practice interviews and provide the students with valuable feedback.
Once again this year, an alumni panel and networking reception was hosted by BMO. The reception was attended by 120 students, employer partners, and alumni. The panel was moderated by Elizabeth Dorsch (MBA’04), Head, Trust and Estate Services and CEO BMO Trust Company. “One of the things I loved most about my experience at Dalhousie was the strong sense of community and belonging – I’m reminded of this tonight,” said Elizabeth during her welcome remarks at the reception. “Even though we’re nowhere near the Dal campus in beautiful Nova Scotia and many of us are meeting for the first time, we are connected by our experience of Dal and our commitment to higher learning, excellence and community.”
MCS is committed to offering opportunities like this one for its students to make real connections with employer partners. And the Toronto Corporate Tour, as a career discovery event best suited for students early in their degree, is one way for business students to kick off their program with career development. “I got to see the fast-paced environment of Toronto’s finance industry. I learned so many great things, met with employers and Dalhousie alumni,” says first-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student Hailey Duivenvoorden, who attended the Finance tour stream. “Having this experience with my fellow students also allowed me to gain some amazing new friendships and memories I will carry with me throughout my time at Dalhousie. Thank you again to the great employers who gave their time to give us insights into their careers.”