Degree: Management Engineering, BASc 2022
LinkedIn: Rafiq Habib
What are you doing now and how does your engineering education from Waterloo help with your life today?
I currently work as a Management Consultant in KPMG’s Public Sector Solutions team. We work primarily with varying levels of government, as well as non-profits, on a variety of projects, including evaluating programs and how they are delivered, providing strategic recommendations to improve operations or services, and applying an impartial lens to drive value and effective outcomes. The engineering approach of process analysis, problem solving, and continuous improvement—a particular focus in Management Engineering—has been key to my success in this role.
Engineering methodology has been instrumental in helping me understand how we can bridge technical components of industries with the business side of organizations. My co-op experiences included working in a variety of industries, including process engineering, public sector, banking, and capital markets, which helped me understand what I was looking for in a career. I really enjoy finding out how and why different parts of our society and economy work in particular ways, and co-op showed me that many industries are interconnected in surprising ways.
Outside of work, I can often be found reading (fiction and non-fiction) or diving into the financial markets.
Why did you decide to be a part of REAC?
Through my time at Waterloo, I really valued the impact that the student body had on my overall university experience. Emerging from the pandemic and graduation, this sense of community seemed more difficult to find and maintain. I decided to be a part of the REAC because I wanted to help bring back and strengthen our connections with the University and our fellow alumni. I see the Council as a key pillar in supporting the Waterloo community and providing opportunities for engaging, meaningful interactions.
Finally, do you have any fun and/or interesting media recommendations? Could be a book, song, movie, documentary, videogame, etc.
As a huge Star Wars fan, I always say that the original 6 Star Wars movies should be considered required watching, both from an entertainment and science fiction genre point of view, and because I think the Star Wars universe provides a great foundation for us to reflect on our society.