Study abroad helps students achieve better education, undergo rigorous training and cultivate research-oriented academic knowledge. But after the education, many students fail to find the right placement. An increasing number of Indian students going to study abroad are coming back to India after failing to get a job there, say industry experts. Even if graduates find jobs, still they have to struggle a lot to adjust with the foreign work environments. This indicates the necessity of inculcating adequate career orientation and foreign work environment awareness for international students, during their college education itself. Especially in a highly diverse economy like Canada, where there are plenty of job opportunities one has to possess cutting-edge skills to make the right move in their profession. Toronto School of Management, a world-class business management educational institution based in Toronto, is making this process easier for students by incorporating work experience as part of their higher education. Ehsan Safdari, Managing Director at Toronto School of Management says; "As we know, in today's business world it's not only knowledge that matters, but also the skills that you develop. So, that's why we are here. Toronto School of Management (TSoM) works with industry leaders to design and deliver innovative and career-centric programs. We are committed to providing students with the right combination of academic excellence and handson experience, educating ambitious people to take their careers further."
"TSoM believes in creating effective learning pathways and delivering a comprehensive range of credentials which span across many fields"
Located among some of North America's leading firms and organizations, Toronto School of Management is a part of Global University Systems, a group of higher education institutions. This innovative management school offers an ideal environment for students who are eager to immerse themselves in a vibrant business community. Established in 2017, today all the programs of TSoM are regarded as excellence in the Canadian higher education. "Currently, TSoM offers a variety of programs in business, hospitality and tourism, accountancy, data analytics, and various IT disciplines. At the institution, the way we do things is as important as what we do. Hence, we provide an inspiring, innovative and positive environment for our students, and all of our tutors have extensive practical experience to share. For example, our unique Diploma in Fundamentals of Hospitality and Tourism Co-op Program sets a very solid foundation for students, who are willing to excel in their respective fields, whether it is hospitality and tourism but are unsure about what they like to focus in their career," Ehsan explained.
TSoM believes in creating effective learning pathways and delivering a comprehensive range of credentials which span many fields. In the accountancy field, Toronto School of Management offers Preparatory Course for Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Examination and has been awarded Gold Learning Partner status by the ACCA, which has over 5,000 members and students in Canada. Ehsan highlights; "We are the only 'Gold' approved learning provider for ACCA in Canada. Our Preparatory Course for ACCA Examination teaches ACCA differently, giving students more study hours and adding value to the core modules. The student will benefit from highly experienced tutors, free ACCA paper re-sit and a study route to a B.Sc. (Hons) in Applied Accounting with Oxford Brookes University." With regards to their continuous endeavor to be innovative, they are adding more courses and including more areas of specialization. "In addition to our present academic programs, we are planning to add two extra IT courses - cybersecurity and digital marketing. In today's aggressive market competition, students need to equip themselves with up-to-date skills and know-how. As a dedicated professional school, we are constantly trying to measure up and hence, working tirelessly to explore new options of programs through which our students can enhance their potential and build a successful career."
Situated in one of the most livable cities of the world, Toronto, TSoM is a part of a global university system and network of educational institutions across the globe. With Toronto hosting a thriving multicultural student community which amounts to over 50,000, TSoM campus is surrounded by many start-ups and lots of Fortune 500 companies like Citi, Ecolab, and Federal Express. The institute has several industry partners from various fields, ranging from hotels, restaurants and marketing companies, law firms, and so on and so forth for internships and placements. Ehsan describes, "TSoM has partnered with many different companies from a range of industries. These partnerships mean that students can join a real workplace and gain valuable experience. We have built state-of-the-art multimedia tools, internet connections, audio equipment and learning management systems to support their studies. Apart from that, we are part of a larger system of institutions, there is always room for a student who wants to pursue their education elsewhere outside Canada to explore more opportunities or to take their degree a step further elsewhere, either it is Germany, Singapore or Vancouver; we do provide those opportunities for our students. So, this is something I would say like sets us apart from other colleges here in Toronto."
The state-of-the-art facilities on the campus and first-class on-job-training enable students to progress in a holistic manner and fortify their practical skills a lot faster than other students. Going one step ahead, TSoM provides students with guidance on resume writing, how to attend an interview, understanding the Canadian work environment and improving communication skills. "Communication skills are very important in career development. So, we have established important partnerships with many local language schools to fulfill the communication needs of our students. Students who have completed specific courses with our own language school - The Language Gallery or one of our partners will fulfill our English language proficiency admission requirements. The school has also set up an exclusive Career Services Department to help students transit smoothly from being a student to become a successful employee, with immense support from TSoM's co-op partners and other employers," said Ehsan.
Expert Faculty to Support Holistic Student Development
All instructors at TSoM are seasoned industry professionals with decades of experience in academics. The experienced faculty members of the institution share their valuable industry insights with students, offer full support and check each student's progress frequently. Delineating on TSoM faculty, Ehsan emphasizes, "If we put overall experience of our faculty members into one number, it would be more than 100 years. We have such highly experienced faculty members. Our instructors are not only guiding the students, but they are also mentoring students to assist them in any concern that the student might face. For example, if a student comes from a different country and needs assistance in preparing resume or requires job advice, the student will feel more comfortable to talk into their instructor rather than the person in the career services. Our instructors are able to answer those questions usually on the spot. So, our instructors are always available to students to provide any personal advises in terms of career aspiration. At TSoM, we are constantly checking student's performance and satisfaction to ensure that the program meets their academic and personal development needs, as well as remains relevant to the demands of the business world."
Started with only 10 students in March 2018, today TSoM has grown substantially in terms of both students and academic programs. Rooted in the values of diversity and internationality, this innovative management school hosts around 400 students from over 40 countries. Speaking about institute's growth and future plans, Ehsan stated, "TSoM prides itself in being an innovative career oriented college in whole Toronto. We think out-of-the-box to ensure that our graduates are ready for tomorrow. Inspired by industry and driven by student success, we are devoted to developing career-focused, community-responsive education and training. TSoM has grown as the main pathway to different institutions as well as to international companies in Toronto and beyond. Being a successful co-up gateway to many internationally acclaimed organizations and institutions, our network of higher education institution will definitely be a very solid benefit for each and every student in TSoM. Currently, we are working on fields like artificial intelligence, big data, cybersecurity and digital marketing in cooperation with the leading institution in Canada and globally. We have sketched a bright future roadmap for the institution in terms new courses and classes. With our ability to adapt to the changing job market, we intend to achieve more heights in the future and become the main source of sup-port for students in their entire career journey." For more information, please visit www.TorontoSoM.ca or email: info@TorontoSoM.ca
EHSAN SAFDARI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TORONTO SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT (TSOM)
He holds a BSc in Computer Science, MSc in Computer Network & Architectures from Iran University Of Science and Technology (IUST) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Kent (UK). He has an extensive business and technology background with more than 10 years' experience in leading and growing educational institutions to transform them into dynamic and progressive organizations.
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