Teodora Cotoi, BTech ’10

Like many new graduates, Teodora Cotoi admits to feeling a bit lost when she hit the job market in 2011.

She had great technical skills, a few internships under her belt and her hard-earned Bachelor of Technology degree in process engineering, but she wasn’t entirely certain how to leverage those into a job she wanted.

“I had just finished a very technical program, but I really enjoy connecting with people,” says Cotoi. “I started at Scotiabank without a vision or a path, but I quickly discovered how many opportunities there are in many different fields or sectors.”

She says she’s spent the last 10 years focusing on growing her competencies, with the aim of landing a role overseeing projects.

Today, Cotoi is Senior Manager of Strategic Projects and Program Support, working in automotive finance.

“I am responsible for strategy and planning, including the development and continuous improvement of core operational processes,” she says. “I love the fast pace, the ever-changing products and the evolution of the car-buying process.”

The job demands both analytical thinking skills and the ability to connect with people. It also gives her the opportunity to hire and train student interns and be a guiding voice in their development and future careers.

She encourages young people to stay open to the very many opportunities that exist beyond traditional engineering careers.

“My path has been unconventional, but I’ve had tons of fun along the way, and I do use the skills I learned in my program,” she says. “If you look at things with a methodical approach, it doesn’t matter if you’re analyzing something in an industrial setting or something at a bank.”