Mariam Hamid decided in high school that she wanted to work in the
fast-paced and rewarding world of finance.
"I love the excitement and complexity of the markets; they're always
changing and you really have to keep up with world events
in order to thrive in them," she says.
Mariam knew she had a number
of options, but decided on George Brown's Financial Planning Management
program because of its superior reputation, and because she knew that
she would obtain her
Canadian Securities Course, Certified Financial Planner,
Derivatives, and Options designations in addition to a diploma.
"I found it hugely beneficial studying for the licenses
in a classroom setting," explains Mariam. "The teachers were
there for you one-on-one, and we all worked together as
a class on the designations, which made it a lot easier than if I'd
been doing it on my own."
Mariam also liked attending school in downtown
Toronto only a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle
of Bay Street, the hub of Canada's financial district. She recognizes the
close links between GBC and the financial industry as being the main factor
that led to her
current employment.
"I got my job directly through the co-op program at GBC," she
says, explaining how the Human Resources department of CIBC came to
George Brown
to recruit people straight out of the Financial Planning
Management and Financial Services Management programs.
"We were lucky to get hired when we did, because the economy
was hit hard by terrorism and SARS, and hiring overall
was down," Mariam
explains. "Because it has such a good rep, GBC is one of the first
places recruiters go when they want to hire new workers,
and one of the last places they stop hiring from when the market isn't
doing as well."
Working as a Customer Service Representative at CIBC
during her co-op, Mariam was hired on full-time after graduating
in June 2003. She was recently promoted to an Investment
Representative position at
the company's discount brokerage, where she trades stocks on behalf
of clients.
Although her aim is to eventually become an
independent broker, for now Mariam wants to gain more experience
within the stability of a large institution like CIBC.
"I would like to work on the compliance side of things at
some point," says Mariam. "I want to use what I've learned
about the system to ensure that people aren't abusing it for their
own personal gain."
Read more stories from
George Brown Graduates...
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