How BCIT prepared this graduate for a career in a high-profile accounting firm

Dreaming of making your mark on the business world? The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) can help fast-track you into a fulfilling and rewarding career in the industry.

The BCIT School of Business + Media is one of the largest business media schools in Western Canada, with 35 full-time programs that focus on in-demand job fields, including Marketing, Finance, and Business Administration.

BCIT programs are applied and relevant to the workforce. Students gain real-world experience, learn from instructors who are industry experts, and advance their skills beyond all expectations.

What’s more, BCIT degree graduates have a high 97% employment rate, which shows how well the Institute equips students with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to enter the workforce, as soon as they finish their studies.

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The Institute’s well-known graduate success rate was one of the reasons alumni Poonam Deol chose to pursue an Accounting Diploma and a Bachelor’s in Accounting when she finished high school. Thanks to the hands-on nature of her program and the support of her instructors, Deol was able to quickly progress into her ideal career as a Financial Accounting Supervisor at FortisBC.

“BCIT helped pave my career path by guiding me through the CPA Fall Recruitment process. I learned to network, organize alumni speakers, and conduct mock interviews,” Deol explains. “With the support of my instructors, I was a successful candidate and I received an offer to start at a Big Four accounting firm once I completed my Bachelor’s degree.”

Studying at BCIT equipped Deol with the skills she needed to excel in her current career and make her mark on the business world.

“No course is going to teach you exactly what the business world is like, but at BCIT I was able to gain the skills and confidence that helped me tackle any challenge that came my way,” she explains. “One of the most useful skills I learned was time management. I learned how to juggle a large course load, and this skill still applies to my post-graduation life as I am often dealing with conflicting deadlines and managing my work-life balance.”

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Reflecting on her time as a student, Deol recalls something that really stood out to her about BCIT: how the instructors and the students would consistently empower and inspire each other to create a supportive learning environment.

“The instructors are invested in our education and our future. They connected us to professionals in our respective industries and taught us how to network,” she says. “The students in your set ultimately start to feel like your family because you spend all your lectures and labs with the same set of 30 students.”

Because of this, Deol was able to easily create numerous connections and lifelong friendships with her peers, many of whom she still connects with today.

Deol encourages anyone considering a program at BCIT to go for it, as it can open up many opportunities. “Students can expect a practical, industry-focused experience from instructors who set you up for success in your career,” she says. “The workload may feel overwhelming at times, but you will learn to find balance — and that is a very important skill to gain.”

Learn more about full-time programs from the BCIT School of Business + Media or start an application today at bcit.ca/business.