ARRIVAL LOUNGE

Drawn by a desire to raise his family
in a diverse and peaceful environment

Shiraz Latif graduated in 2016 from the Analytics for Business Decision Making program at George Brown College.

 Latif came to Canada from Pakistan the previous year, drawn by the desire to raise his family in a diverse and peaceful environment. An established professional in his own country, he wasted no time building a life for himself here.

In January 2016, Latif enrolled in the program of his choice at George Brown.

The six-month intensive course emphasizes collaboration and teamwork, which allowed him to quickly develop personal connections and build on his expertise by learning from others.

With the program’s dual focus on technical skills and marketing, Latif was able to expand on his background in “classical IT” by gaining an understanding of the business aspects of the field.

A particular highlight of his time at the college was presenting his capstone research project at a conference at the encouragement of one of his professors.

Graduating in the summer of 2016, Latif secured his first job  immediately as a data analyst performing forecasting, insights, and analytics at Mondelez International Inc. Since then, he has moved to an insurance company where he works as a data analyst/business intelligence consultant, helping business executives make better data-driven decisions.

In October 2017, he started an independent consultancy business on the side.

He also played a key role in designing and establishing the Data Science program at Sheridan College, where he’s been a part-time instructor since early 2016.

Latif is quick to credit his George Brown experience for this remarkable series of successes.

As he explains it, “everything that I’m getting in Canada is because of George Brown College.”

A few short years into their new life, his family has also settled in nicely. His son is thriving in the local French immersion program. And he and his wife welcomed their second child, a daughter, on July 1, 2016 – a particularly special way to celebrate their first Canada Day in their new home.

The 50 x 50 photo exhibition at George Brown College celebrated the college’s 50th anniversary in 2018 and demonstrated how it has made an impact in the lives of many Canadian immigrants, capturing the diversity of both the college and the city over the past five decades.

It showcased how education has shaped the lives of newcomers to Canada with 50 leading and emerging photographers capturing the success stories of 50 George Brown College alumni who immigrated to Canada. 

• If you’d like to share the story of your arrival in Canada, please write to desinews@rogers.com or call 416-695-4357.