My favourite parts about attending the DECA LDA Conference
Going into the DECA Leadership Development Academy (LDA) Conference in my first year with DECA, I didn’t know what to expect. With the shift to online learning, I am going to be honest; I didn’t expect anything more than another Zoom meeting, which because of the pandemic, I've gotten very used to and tired of. But I was so surprised by the wealth of information that I was able to gather from all the presenters.
The workshops were very engaging, which made learning more fun, especially in a virtual environment. I loved how everything was divided into different stages because in the end, you don’t feel exhausted from all the material thrown at you. Rather, you’re excited to learn more, and additionally, to attend the next learning session! There was truly something for everyone and I was able to walk away with at least one more piece of information and advice from each workshop than what I went in with.
Reflecting back, it’s hard to choose which presentation stood out to me the most but the “Cracking the Case” workshop would have to be one of my favorites. Presenters Evelyn and Puneet, who are students at the University of Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), shared some really great tips that I know I will be able to use to elevate future opportunities. I was also very intrigued by the hands-on aspect of the University of Waterloo’s Student Venture Fund (SVF), a topic discussed in another one of the workshops. The SVF is an on-campus resource that provides students with advice on venture capital investing. A couple of members from the SVF group presented in the workshop to give an insight of what it’s all about! I didn’t even realize that groups like these existed where students are able to really apply the skills they’ve learned into real-world settings and the University of Waterloo provides this wonderful opportunity.
Overall, attending the DECA LDA conference really opened my eyes to the variety of careers in business, accounting, and finance and educated me on what I can do to put myself one step ahead. I am so incredibly grateful that I was able to attend the conference. I encourage all of you to take the opportunity to do so, even if you’re hesitant about it, because I guarantee that there is truly something for everyone and there is no harm in exploring. There is so much to learn out there and by learning, you get to grow.