Meet Sabiha Jogiat, AHF Fellow and a young leader passionate about business and law.
Sabiha is a student at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Ted Rogers School of Management where she is majoring in Law and Business. Sabiha chose to major in Law and Business because law has always been her favourite class – not only in high school but also the very first law course she took during her undergrad.
She believes having looked at business through a legal perspective has provided her with the critical thinking, legal knowledge and skills that will serve her on her professional journey. “The Legal education I have received is important to my future success regardless of the career path I choose because it is teaching me to identify organizational problems from a legal perspective while seeking to identify solutions.”
Sabiha plans to attend law school after completing her undergraduate degree and believes her current major has helped her gain more visibility into what she can expect. Beyond her education, Sabiha is passionate about giving back to her community and often supports high school students in her neighborhood with their post- graduation goals. This consists of supporting students with university applications, tailoring resumes, and boosting their public- speaking skills. All of this is to ensure they are well- prepared for life after graduation.
In our conversation with Sabiha, we explored everything with her from her co-op work terms, to making the most of them, how she invests in herself as a woman of colour, and her future plans.
What Makes an Employer Stand Out to You
Internships and co-op opportunities, known as experiential education, provide an amazing opportunity into the world of work while helping you develop technical and transferable skills. Sabiha chose the co-op option in her program and in the process of completing three co-op work terms within the same organization. These experiences have been tremendous for gaining work experience, applying and developing her skills, growing her network, and exploring different departments and fields within the company while in school.
Sabiha’s first internship position was with
Mackenzie Investments, a company that had internship postings up on her university’s job portal. She decided to take a chance and apply for a role within the company, hoping to get her feet in through the door. She decided to work with Mackenzie Investments due to positive feedback she had heard from previous students about their internship, and the positive company culture. She completed her first term with the company within the Real Estate team. She later moved into the Procurement team for her next internship role.
“Both roles were a great experience, where I was able to work with great leaders and amazing team members with different professional backgrounds,” recalls Sabiha. Sabiha experienced an inclusive and positive environment, where she was able to reach out to anyone within the organization for support, advice, and coffee chats.
Sabiha stretched out of her comfort zone by working on a number of significant projects. One notable experience was a project with the Real Estate team which was a great learning experience for her. She was able to work with a diverse team of people consisting of engineers, architects, interior designers, and project managers. This opportunity provided her with the skills to become adaptive and comfortable working with individuals from diverse backgrounds. On the procurement side, Sabiha worked on another initiative that helped her become more confident with reading and understanding contracts.
After completing two co-op terms at Mackenzie Investments, she accepted a new position for her third work term as a Private Wealth Management Marketing Intern at
IG Wealth Management. In this role, Sabiha is able to explore her creative side and work on projects relating to branding and client experiences. She has been working on internal initiatives and seminars within the Private Wealth Team, and continues to assist on projects relating to client experiences.
Sabiha has accepted these roles with Mackenzie Investments and IG Wealth Management due to the culture and environment present within the companies. She continues to emphasize the support she receives from not only her team members, but from different leaders throughout the organization. She recalls her first co-op term with Mackenzie Investments, where she started off nervous about her new role. However, after a warm welcome from her manager and the rest of the team, she was able to quickly become more comfortable with those she was working, and build genuine relationships.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Co-op or Internship
The first thing Sabiha does when starting a new co-op position is to set learning goals for herself.
“Whether it’s to learn a new software, enhance my communication skills, or develop in a technical area, I always set goals for myself and share them with my manager,” suggests Sabiha. “It’s important to share your learning goals with your manager because it promotes a mentoring relationship and they have the ability to provide you with opportunities to develop in those areas.”
Sabiha has also made it a priority to build relationships and grow her community through networking during all her work terms. “I made it a priority to reach out to different leaders across the organization and to learn about their roles, career journey and get helpful advice,” explains Sabiha. Networking has allowed Sabiha to meet leaders across the organization in a range of areas from Business Architecture to legal. She has been able to see how the different business units function and has also developed relationships with different people to whom she can reach out for support and advice.
Additionally, while she reaches out to different leaders throughout the organization, she also states the importance of connecting with other interns in the company, and building relationships with them as well. “Not only does it allow you to make new friends, it also provides visibility on the different roles available within the organization, and what these roles consist of” shares Sabiha. “Getting to know other interns helps in exploring different options in order to find something that you are passionate about.”
A Holistic Approach to Investing in Yourself
Sabiha believes one way to invest in yourself is to look into programs (like AHF’s Fellowship Circle) that cater to Black, Indigenous and women of colour. Sabiha learned about AHF’s Fellowship Circle through her university and decided to apply because the program is by and for Black, Indigenous and racialized women. Realizing that it would be a unique opportunity for her, Sabiha took the leap to apply.
“These types of programs can help you build your confidence in yourself and allow you to become comfortable with being your most authentic self,” explains Sabiha. “I also make sure that I’m investing in my mental and physical health, by taking care of my body through daily walks and exercise and keeping a journal which I use to manage any anxiety I feel to reduce stress.” Through the pandemic, Sabiha has picked up new hobbies and found her love for daily walks and new hiking trails.
Sabiha also makes it a priority to invest in her education and skills development by taking courses that help her grow. For example, she has taken additional courses in professional presentations, coding, and using new software. “Skills development is important in the professional world to not only keep up with the pace of the digital workplace transformation, but also to distinguish yourself,” explains Sabiha.
Planting the Seeds For the Future
Sabiha is currently exploring post graduation options including different careers as well as the potential to apply to law school. While her current plan is still to write the LSAT and apply to law school, she understands that there are many options available related to law that may not consist of becoming a lawyer.
“I hope to set a good example for other women of colour in my community who aspire to pursue a career in business and law,” asserts Sabiha. “I want to see women excel and step out of their comfort zones to pursue opportunities that they may feel are out of reach for themselves.”
Sabiha hopes to continue connecting with other women of colour and attending programs like the AHF Fellowship Circle to share her experiences and encouragement, and hopes to see an increase in the representation of Black, Indigenous and women of colour in the industry.
