Career Pathways: Navigating Career Transition with Tina Cui

Posted on May 11, 2023
Career Pathways: Navigating Career Transition with Tina Cui

Career Pathways is a Schulich ExecEd ongoing series showcasing some of our talented alumni. Everyone has something interesting and insightful to share, from independent business owners to corporate managers. We want to bring their stories to life.  

In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, we are featuring two of our incredible Alumni, Tina Cui and Shirley Lee as they walk us through their career journeys. 

Tina Cui began her career working in retail sales, and later became an International Tech Recruiter before a hiring freeze in the industry led her to be laid off a few months back. Tina took this opportunity as a chance to recharge after experiencing corporate burnout and decided to make a conscious effort to improve her skills and knowledge.

Finding The Ideal Program

After attending a few of York University’s YSpace webinars, Tina learned about Schulich ExecEd’s professional development programs. She was intrigued by the wide variety of programs offered and wanted to learn more.

With so many programs to choose from, Tina spoke to colleagues, senior professionals, and Schulich ExecEd’s program advisors for guidance on finding the best program to meet her goals. She notes that her experience with the advisors were particularly positive, as they were patient and made a sincere effort to answer her questions and concerns. 

Tina’s research concluded that the Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management program would be the next best step in her career journey, so she eagerly signed up. She was most excited about the “flexibility of class times and hybrid classes, combined with learning from top-level Mini-MBA instructors and facilitators, and engaging in team projects focused on cutting-edge business trends.”

The Program

Tina began her two months of education, focusing on the essentials of management: strategic thinking, finance, human resources, entrepreneurship, marketing and leadership.

“What I appreciated most about the faculty was their willingness to share their own experiences and insights,” says Tina. “They were able to bring real-world examples into the classroom, which made the material much more relevant and interesting.”

The program also allowed Tina to build her professional network across multiple sectors in Canada, providing her with valuable insights into a wide range of industries.

“The course provided me with opportunities to interact with industry experts and network with participants from other industries,” Tina explains. “Through these interactions, I was able to gain new perspectives and learn about current trends and best practices in my field.”

A New Path Forward

Reflecting on her experience with the Schulich Mini-MBA, Tina encourages anyone thinking of taking the program to come with an open mind and a willingness to learn. She feels that the program boosted her entrepreneurial journey by providing broader networking opportunities and next-level strategic thinking.

Today, Tina is the startup owner of 94 Fresh Distribution Ltd, a business focusing on fresh food and packaged food distribution. She is grateful for her newly gained understanding of key business concepts and strategies, as well as the resources necessary for establishing a new business. 

“I feel that the material has helped me to become a more well-rounded and effective business professional, and I am excited to continue building on the skills and knowledge I gained through the course.”

We want to thank Tina again for taking the time to chat with us about the Career Pathways series. If you’re interested in learning more about Schulich ExecEd’s Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management program, you can read about it here.

Not sure what program is right for you? Our expert advisors can help. Talk to a Schulich ExecEd advisor today.