From April 29 to May 1, Management Career Services (MCS) hosted its annual Toronto Corporate Tour, bringing business students to Toronto to introduce them to career opportunities in a variety of industries. MCS representatives arranged office tours, practice interviews, and networking events for students who were selected to attend.

This year, the tour was bigger than ever – 48 business students attended one of three tour streams depending on their areas of interest: Career Discovery, Finance, and new this year due to student demand, Accounting & Consulting.

“The Greater Toronto Area is an important market for us as the second-largest region for work terms. Year over year, more than one-third of all MCS work terms are completed in Ontario. We’re thrilled to organize the Toronto Corporate Tour each year to provide opportunities for our students to network in-person, and to engage with current and new employer partners,” says Robert Wooden, Director of MCS.

Any student in the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op, Bachelor of Management, or Corporate Residency MBA programs can apply to attend the Toronto Corporate Tour, however the tour is most beneficial to early-year students looking to make connections for future work terms or full-time opportunities. “Each visit offered a unique perspective and gave me a deeper understanding of the many paths within finance and business,” says first-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student, Lily Bourke. “One of my biggest takeaways was hearing the different journeys professionals took to get to where they are today. It was reassuring to see that there is no single ‘right path’, and that growth often comes from trying new things and stepping outside your comfort zone.”

The 2026 tour featured visits to 17 employer partners, including EY, the sponsor and host of a practice interview session and networking lunch. Volunteers from Toronto employer partners attended the event to conduct the interviews and provide the students with valuable feedback. “This tour reinforced the importance of networking and stepping outside my comfort zone, and being open to new opportunities. I’m grateful for the meaningful conversations and connections I made,” says Djeny Pierre, second-year Commerce Co-op student who was part of the Accounting & Consulting tour stream.

Day 2 of the tour included an alumni panel and networking reception hosted by returning sponsor, BMO. Michael Bonner (MBA ’07), Head of Personal & Business Banking Canada at BMO, moderated the panel. “The panelists shared insights on what they look for in hiring, best techniques to maximize your experience, how to differentiate yourself in this world and how to truly apply your education,” says Michael. “I came away feeling pretty energized about the next generation; our world is in good hands.”

Following the panel, more than 150 students, employer partners, and alumni attended the networking reception. “The Toronto Corporate Tour enabled me to connect with and realize the strength of the Dalhousie alumni network,” says second-year Corporate Residency MBA student Evan Dennis, who attended the Accounting & Consulting tour stream. “I was able to meet senior leaders from a variety of renowned organizations, learn about their careers, and gain insights into how I can follow in their footsteps. I left the tour understanding of what’s possible for Dalhousie graduates.”

MCS is committed to offering opportunities like this one for its students to make real connections with employer partners. “Throughout the experience, I gained valuable insights into the importance of building and maintaining professional networks with intention, as well as how different organizations shape their team culture and day-to-day operations,” says Kenzie Tester, a third-year Bachelor of Management student who participated in the Career Discovery tour stream. “I especially appreciated the conversations I had throughout the tour — hearing directly from professionals in the field made the experience even more meaningful.”

Angela (Angie) Chia-Baxter graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce Co-op program with a major in International Business in spring 2022. Originally from Guelph, Ontario, she decided to move to the east coast to pursue a Commerce degree at Dalhousie because of its mandatory co-op program. “I don’t know if I would’ve pushed myself to do co-op if it was optional. I don’t regret my decision to move east for school because it allowed me to explore a new city and province, and also to get hands-on experience.”

Throughout her four years at Dalhousie, Angie grew to love both marketing and international business. “I like to think I got the best of both worlds in that I got to focus my degree on international business but learn about marketing through my co-ops. I found that I am passionate about working within the start-up ecosystem, which was never something I thought of until my co-ops,” she says, having completed all three of her work terms at start-ups. Her first co-op was at Clockk.com, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) start-up that offers time-tracking software. There, she worked as a Junior Marketer, spending most of her time growing and expanding their social media accounts. She says she was given substantial autonomy and worked with minimal supervision, allowing her to cultivate a strong work ethic. Her second co-op was completed at Proposify, another SaaS, as Product Marketer Intern. “The key thing I valued during my time at Proposify was learning a different side of marketing. Before this, I had been exposed to social media and digital marketing, and it was interesting to expand my knowledge in the industry.”

Her most memorable co-op was her final work term at EnPoint, a start-up that offers a platform for businesses to build out their mentorship program. There, she worked as a Marketing and Business Growth Intern, helping the company with its marketing and sales department. From managing social media accounts to running email campaigns, Angie did it all. Apart from learning skills that would later help her career, it also gave her an insight into how mentorship could benefit her personally. “What has stuck with me from my time with EnPoint was learning how important mentorship is, and that it isn’t one-sided; both parties’ benefit when creating mentor relations.”

In addition to her mandatory co-ops, Angie pursued optional professional development opportunities during her time at Dal, such as attending the Toronto Corporate Tour at the end of her first year. “I attended the Toronto Corporate Tour to give me a better idea of what different industries are about and perhaps give me some sort of direction.” She describes her time on the tour to be both fun and informative, allowing her to network and get a glimpse of the Toronto job market. She recommends other students apply to attend the event, as she says its an excellent opportunity to put themselves out there, network, and learn about a wide variety of industries. “It could be an eye-opening experience and give you insight into which paths you might be interested in the most,” she says.

Angie now works at BNL Consulting as one of their Social Media Managers, where she oversees several clients and helps them grow their accounts. She attributes her success at her current workplace to the co-op program. “With all the hands-on experience I received from Dal during my work terms, I felt equipped and prepared for what was to come post-grad. Many skills I learned during my co-ops such as working autonomously, decision making, and communication I still use on a daily basis!”

Angie’s advice for you:

• Reach out to MCS with any questions and concerns because they are there to support you.
• Don’t be afraid to apply to a job that you may feel you aren’t qualified for, you’d be surprised the skills you have from other experiences that are just as applicable.