Todd Reade

Why did you decide to study an MBA?

I decided to study an MBA because from my career sector there’s a real trend now towards having an MBA as a minimum standard to move up to certain levels of leadership in the charitable sector in Canada. So for me, an MBA was a critical next step for job progression.

What are the greatest personal and professional benefits you’ve experienced from the MBA so far?

The MBA really for me created a lot of personal and professional benefits. Because of the applied nature of AIB’s MBA program, it really was something that I was able to apply to my everyday work life. Even some of the subjects which tended to be a little further outside of my normal scope, as I’ve progressed to a new position, I’ve really seen how those fit in now much more than they would have at the time.

Looking back on your MBA journey, what were the best parts and greatest challenges for you?

Looking back at my MBA, the greatest challenge was reintegrating learning into my daily life. I hadn’t been in uni for probably over 10 years, probably a little more than that if I’m honest. To be fair, it was a bit of an adjustment both for me and my family to focus and setting aside that time to really focus on study. But, it was really a sense of accomplishment after I finished. I was able to finish in about 16 months. It was much more significant from a personal achievement than my undergraduate work was.

For me, the best parts of the MBA were the flexibility and the way the program was structured. I was really able to integrate it into my daily work life and was able to work without a problem while doing it. It’s certainly as well as notable, the staff were fantastic. I had really great support. I had a couple of challenges throughout the process and there was someone immediately there to step in and support and help me figure out the path forward. So that was really appreciated.

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