Kelvin Lau

Kelvin Lau sees Ivey Business School’s one-year Master of Management: Analytics (MM-A) program as the right formula for success in an AI-driven, evolving job market.

Seeking a broader career exposure beyond his mechanical engineering degree, Lau gravitated toward business, leadership and analytics. With its blended in-class and online format, the MM-A program at Ivey offered him the opportunity to focus on those goals while he worked as a Design Engineer in the military and defense sector based in London, Ontario.

With experience in design, testing and manufacturing support for defense-related applications, Lau specializes in composite manufacturing which is used in many industries, such as aerospace, aircraft and Formula One racing.

Lau is looking to boost his knowledge on both sides of the Ivey program equation: To gain knowledge about data and analytics and exposure to the business side in leadership. Ivey’s MM-A was the obvious choice.

Why Ivey’s MM-A stood out

“I like the case-based study. I learn much better when dealing with real-life scenarios rather than textbooks,” said Lau. “The classroom setup is so unique. Here you have an opportunity to speak up, engage with the professors and learn from your classmates. I couldn’t find other schools in Canada that do the same thing.”

This classroom approach has already paid off in the boardroom for Lau.

“We did a case in class that was in the aerospace industry, and we were talking about how to visualize data and test reports that might be crucial to managerial decision making,” said Lau. “I have experience in this industry, and the case gave me ideas that I could use immediately.”

Combining case-method learning with group work with a variety of classmates has also enhanced the learning process.

“I work with classmates from different industries and learn from them,” said Lau. “It helps a lot because you don’t just hear a single voice, but you hear a lot of different voices with unique experiences, which gives us a different angle to view the case.”

Applying analytics and leadership skills at work

The program skills have also paid off in other ways.

Using the skills from class, Lau was able to build a database for the organization that has led to ease of operation for his colleagues.

“I don’t have a lot of leadership requirements at work, but I do make use of the soft skills I have learned, which helps with my interpersonal skills and how to work better as a team,” said Lau.

As Lau approaches AI and how it has affected his industry and business, he feels the program is preparing him for future technology-driven changes. Through course work and discussions with classmates in the industry, Lau has a better understanding of how to integrate AI into his personal and professional life.

“By taking this course, which is not totally in the engineering field, it opens a lot more opportunities for me now. I have some experience in business, in leadership and in the AI industry as well. That opens a lot of opportunities for me in the future.”