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School’s out and it is time to gather experiences — some students travel the world and some make career connections. The 20 Haskayne and Schulich students who ventured to London, England for the first-ever Engineering/Commerce Student Experience Trip were able to do both at the same time.

Students set out in the first week of May, after exams and before internships, for six days of cultural enrichment and to gain exposure to the European fintech and enertech sectors.

“Being able to hear about the melding of software engineering and finance at a global level made me understand how important it is to have backgrounds in both fields to be competitive in industry,” says Erik Skoronski, a student in the dual engineering and business degree program specializing in software engineering and finance.

The personalized London Stock Exchange tour highlighted how technology has transformed markets in recent years and the regulatory system in London. At Canada House, students met with fintech industry insiders including representatives from Anthemis Group and HSBC. 
Students did not miss hitting tourist hot spots with a British Museum tour, walking tour of the London Financial District led by Dr. Matthew Clarke, PhD, associate professor, Schulich School of Engineering, a visit to Westminster Abbey and sightseeing at the Tower of London.

Cyndora Chan, a student in the first cohort of the dual degree program, took advantage of the trip to expand her horizons. “There are far more opportunities out there than you can ever imagine. Just from the walking tour of London's financial district, you can feel overwhelmed by the variety,” says Chan. “One important learning I took away from this trip, especially after listening and speaking to the industry professionals, is to not limit yourself; be flexible. The dual degree opens more doors for you. Take this to your advantage and explore and gain experience.”

Students in the UCalgary dual engineering and commerce degree program are familiar with pursuing simultaneous goals. The program, a first in Western Canada, allows students to complete both a BSc(Eng) and a BComm in as little as five years. ´şÉ«Ö±˛Ą officially launched the program in May 2017 with a strong show of support: a $5-million gift from Clayton and Linda Woitas and family. The Currie family also championed the program with a gift directed toward student experiences for those in the dual degree program, which funded part of this excursion for each student.

“These students are all in a very demanding program, it is great to see how they all rally together and support each other,” says Tina Johnson-Adams, undergraduate student advisor, Haskayne School of Business, who also served as the trip administrator. “I am confident that some of these friendships will extend beyond graduation and into their professional lives.”