CAREER:

Age: 26
Title: Financial Analyst
Company: Arc’teryx Equipment Inc.
Length at position: 10 months
Hours worked per week: 40 to 50 hours
Best part of job:
I enjoy the variety of work I do, as well as ownership of projects. Although the focus of my job tends to be on budgeting and forecasting, I am involved in a wide variety of other areas, including inventory valuation/ procedure management and operating expense evaluation. Our company has grown organically, and despite the challenges, there are also benefits including defining your own role and responsibilities and having an open forum for process improvement and development.
What inspired you?
I was working in a business role in the IT field and I wanted to strengthen my business background. I went through a listing of the business programs and decided on CMA as it provided ‘soft skills’ such as strategic planning & marketing, as well as ‘hard skills’ in managerial and financial accounting.

EDUCATION:

Degree(s) and School:
UBC BSc (Computer Science) and Commerce Minor, BCIT CMA Fast Track Program, CMA Strategic Leadership Program.
Advice:
Keep on track. I didn‘t have a background in accounting and found the Fast Track program to be intense. The instructors are very helpful with answering questions and clarifying concepts, so make sure you utilize class time wisely, as you are likely to be working full time, along with the intense educational programs.
Benefits of program:
Professionally, I’ve acquired the ability to look at the big picture and understand the various components of a business. I found that the educational components of the CMA program have effectively provided me with  the practical tools to apply the theories taught throughout the program.

LIFESTYLE:

Favourite recreational activity: Hiking, snowshoeing, swimming, theatre and dining out.
Upcoming vacation plans: Hopefully to Boston/New York, the UK, and India.
In five years, I see myself : Combining both my IT and accounting skills, and doing consulting work for businesses that could benefit from my skill set.