‘It not only made me grow as an individual, but also as a leader’
Students at Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science and John Molson School of Business will be hosting the 11th ENGCOMM (Engineering and Commerce Case Competition), the world’s only student-led multidisciplinary case competition.
From February 20 to 24, ENGCOMM 2024 will feature 12 teams competing to solve hands-on engineering and business problems proposed by industry sponsors. Interdisciplinary teams of four will race to solve two six-hour cases and one 12-hour case.
The event kicks off with an opening gala followed by various networking events and concludes with a closing gala where winners are announced.
“When we’re in the workforce, after graduation, we’re not just going to meet people from our own world, whether it’s engineering or commerce. So it’s important that students learn to bridge the gap early on in their careers,” says Divyena Thakkar, president of the organizing committee.
Over the past 11 years, 16 universities have participated in the competition at Concordia, with more than 600 competitors hailing from six Canadian provinces and four different continents.
For students, the benefits of competing include developing public-speaking and problem-solving skills. It’s a unique opportunity to solve real-world cases by combining the technical and interactive fields of engineering and commerce.
They also get to access top-notch networking events and workshops and share their resumés with the sponsoring companies.
“ENGCOMM was a fantastic experience and a huge learning curve for me and my team,” says Ayham Al Jarrah, a finance student who has competed in the past.
“The case and the event showcase how business and engineering go hand in hand. I can’t wait to be participating at ENGCOMM 2024.”
A glimpse into a time-sensitive case-solving session from last year’s ENGCOMM.
‘I realized the importance of being involved in the community’
Sponsors for this year’s event include L’Oréal, Lockheed Martin and KPMG.
“ENGCOMM Concordia was an experience that opened many opportunities such as meeting peers with similar goals and connecting with various industry leaders,” says Yue Shan Guo, a civil engineering student.
Guo participated in ENGCOMM 2023 as well as a mini Concordia competition. She’s back this year as vice-president of corporate.
“It was an unforgettable experience where I could apply knowledge I learned in class to real-life scenarios and learn interdisciplinary skills,” she says.
“Through the competition, I realized the importance of being involved in the community, which is why I decided to become an ENGCOMM executive member this year. It not only made me grow as an individual, but also as a leader.”
On February 24, the public is welcome to attend the final presentations at J.A. de Sève cinema, 1400 de Maisonneuve Boul. W. at 1:15 p.m. and the networking hour at 4:30 p.m. at Montreal’s Hotel Omni, 1050 Sherbrooke St. W.
Learn more about Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science and John Molson School of Business, and visit the faculties at the university’s Open House on February 17.
