By enrolling in the MBA at the University of Sherbrooke, Amine Rhali planned to accumulate the knowledge to become a better manager. When he started his program, the engineer from Morocco became aware of the enormous network of contacts he was developing.
Having graduated in spring 2022, he says he has learned as much from his professors as from his peers. “You get to know them, have differences with them and solve problems,” he explains. We spend time together and help each other. »
Little by little, his network allowed him to integrate professionally.
His university experience also made him realize that he really liked Quebec. “I was warmly welcomed by a caring community. I discovered an open, tolerant society committed to equal opportunities and sustainable development. All of this resonated with my deep values, so I decided to stay with my wife and my son. »
However, things were going well in Morocco. At a very young age, he studied industrial engineering at the École nationale supérieure des arts et métiers. “It wasn’t a dream, but one of the best options, and I was interested. Ever since I was a kid, I was pretty good at science and math, so it was a natural fit. »
He then studied in France, before working for years in the oil and gas industry. “I had to quickly launch into management without being sufficiently equipped,” he recalls.
After a decade in the field, something was wrong. “I had good results and was progressing well in my career, but I felt like an impostor. The next position I was going to be offered was a management position, but something was missing. I only trusted my logic. I hadn’t studied that. »
Aware of his shortcomings in finances and human resources, he believed that the MBA would upgrade him. His initial plan was to study in Ontario, but a meeting with the program director at the University of Sherbrooke and discussions with former students convinced him to settle in Quebec. “In discussing with alumni, I felt that the values of the university, the content of the training and the common thread of the MBA, centered on sustainable development, resonated with me. »
At the end of his studies, he completed an internship at Hydro-Québec, before obtaining a position as a strategic procurement advisor. For 18 months, he has been putting his learning into practice. “The MBA does not make us specialists, but generalists. We develop tools that give us an understanding of the whole. Whatever the situation, we will be able to cope with what we have learned. »
In the future, Amine Rhali sees herself evolving in operations management positions in the energy field, in line with her past experience in engineering.
