For Theresa, earning a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) from SFU Beedie was a window into the world of finance and business, and a stepping stone to pursuing an MBA.

My experience at SFU Beedie

The GDBA program not only provided a ladder to the MBA program, but also opened new doors for me at BC Hydro and beyond. For example, I gained solid business knowledge as well as the ability to synthesize large amounts of information and present it in a way that can be easily understood by decision-makers. This has proven to be a huge asset in my current role at BC Hydro.

My Journey

After 11 years as a senior engineer responsible for the province's power system, I decided to complement my technical expertise with business and financial knowledge. I wanted to expand my career options, but I wasn't ready to earn an MBA yet. Hence, I decided to "dip a toe" into the world of business through the GDBA program.

I chose SFU Beedie because it offered the right mix of courses that would enable me to determine whether business was a good fit for me. At first, I was nervous about taking a diploma program after being out of school for so long. However, it turned out to be a wonderful experience. It also didn't take long to realize that business was a clear fit for me.

With my new business competence, I took on an exciting role at BC Hydro as Commercial Manager.

Highlights

Going into the GDBA program, I had some reservations about the online learning aspect. However, it turned out to be a wonderful experience. The program's flexibility allowed me to continue working while going to school. It also allowed me to collaborate with students with different learning styles and backgrounds from around the world. That in itself was so valuable.

Where I am today

I now serve as Commercial Manager at BC Hydro's Project Delivery group. There, I support project teams by performing financial analyses, risk assessments and trade-off analyses for capital projects. I also write business cases for capital projects and briefing notes for BC Hydro's Board of Directors.