REGINA — When Mike Cinco applied to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s as an international student, he didn’t know that relocating his family to Canada from the Philippines was only the first cross-globe adventure he’d be making as part of his education.
As part of the program, students undertake a six-month in their second year. When it came time to find a co-op employer, Cinco reached out to contacts from his past who had established a start-up company in China and they offered him a remote work term.
Cinco, who had 15 years of experience in management, decided to pursue further education in 2019 when he and his family attended an educational career fair in his home country. “After careful consideration of the best destination for both my personal and academic growth, we decided to move to Canada,” he says. “Business information systems was a natural choice because I’d been involved in the financial technologies industry for many years on the operational side.” Cinco’s growing curiosity led him to explore the technical aspects of the industry and Sask Polytech’s booth at the career fair stood out to him.
Fast forward and Cinco now lives with his wife and eight-year-old daughter in Regina, where he is finishing the final term in his program following a successful—and highly unusual—co-op work term. “I’m the only one in my class who had to work a graveyard shift,” laughs Cinco. “Because of the massive time zone difference between Canada and China, I would start my shift at 6:30 p.m. and work until 3:30 a.m. That was hard.”
Shenzhen Qiancheng Hetai Technology Co., Ltd., who took Cinco on as a business analyst intern, operates in the rapidly evolving field of financial technology, often referred to as FinTech. The small seven-person company specializes in providing tailored business management systems, offering insights, reports and analyses to clients across the Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast Asia region, including Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. “My role was setting up reports and providing system support to clients,” says Cinco, “and although the time difference was challenging it was a good experience.” In addition to report generation, Cinco played a pivotal role in the risk-control, collections and marketing departments, helping the company drive informed decision-making. “I learned a lot working with them and because it is a small company I got to know the business well.”
So well, it would seem, that his employer offered him a one-week paid trip to China to meet in person. In early October, Cinco flew to Shenzhen, China to meet the team he’d been working with since spring. “It was an amazing experience,” says Cinco. “Being there in person provided a glimpse into the daily life and work culture in a different part of the world. I observed the dedication and professionalism of the team, which reinforced the importance of effective collaboration in achieving common goals. It was a testament to the global nature of business and the richness of diverse perspectives in the workplace.”
Trudy Osborne, a co-operative education instructor at Sask Polytech, has been working with Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) for several years to help expand opportunities for Saskatchewan students. “When COVID came along people were introduced to using more technology and that has really changed how both employers and employees view remote work and the global economy. It has meant an increase in worldwide opportunities for our students and that’s certainly exciting.”
While in China Cinco was invited to a weekend team-building excursion, an experience he describes as more than just a getaway. “Guangdong province and the rural life there surrounded by breathtaking mountains and lush landscape was a real retreat from the bustle of big city China. It was also the perfect opportunity to bond with colleagues and create lasting memories. Being part of their retreat underscored the significance of work-life balance and the importance of building strong connections with the people we collaborate with.”
Collaboration is something Cinco hopes to do more of. As he nears completion of his program and looks towards graduation this coming June, he is starting to think about what opportunities he will explore as a Business Information Systems graduate. His co-op employer has asked about further opportunities to collaborate and may explore business opportunities in Canada. “My co-operative education work term not only enriched my technical expertise but provided me with a deeper understanding of global collaboration and the beauty of diverse experiences,” says Cinco. “It’s exciting to see where my new skills and this unique experience will take me.”
— Submitted by Sask Polytech Media Relations
