Commodities Trading Target Unis (specifically Canadian)
Just wondering what a good university for commodities trading in Canada (or even one that could get me to the US out of undergrad) would be. I'm a high school student in Canada, and I've already been accepted to UCalgary, and applying to UBC, Queen's, and Ivey. Would UCalgary possibly get me into something like the Shell Trader Graduate Program (not the Shell TDP, which I see requires work experience) or something similar at an oil major or physical trading house? Given Calgary is the energy capital of Canada, surely UCalgary would be good? And how much better would UBC, Queen's, or Ivey be, provided I get in? I want to work in finance, but I'm afraid something like IB where I make spreadsheets and powerpoint slides for a few years just might not fit me. I'd like to do interesting work with real-world consequences, really get to the gritty work, and to make something of myself. Even ag commodities may be a good fit for me, since I come from a family of farmers, so I suppose I'm also seeing if there's info on good unis for that as well. Any info would be greatly appreciated for someone just trying to weigh my options for the future.
Congrats on your acceptance to UCalgary and your applications to other universities! Based on the most helpful WSO content, UCalgary and UAlberta are strong contenders when it comes to banking in the energy-rich Alberta region. For instance, JP Morgan has an IB office located in Alberta that regularly takes UCalgary's Bcom students. UAlberta is also a powerhouse for energy-related finance such as commodities trading, Acquisitions & Divestures, etc.
However, it's worth noting that UCalgary isn't known to place well in Bay/Wall Street. So, if you're considering a future in the US, you might want to keep that in mind.
As for UBC, Queen's, or Ivey, they are all reputable schools with strong finance programs. However, the WSO dataset doesn't provide specific information on their placement in commodities trading.
Remember, while the school you attend can open doors, your passion, dedication, and willingness to learn will be the key drivers of your success in the field. Good luck with your applications and future career!
Sources: Here are the Target Undergraduate Schools in Canada, Here are the Target Undergraduate Schools in Canada, What is Canadian comp and recruitment like?
All of the Canadians I know are from UCalgary FWIW (I’m houston based). Guessing there’s a lot of self selection since those guys grew up close to the source so don’t think it’s necessary at all
What was the career path to commodities trader for you? And do you know the process for how the Calgary guys got jobs in Houston?
An oil majors’s grad scheme. The houston Calgary guys have all been in the industry a while, but the Canadians that I know based on Calgary also came up through a grad scheme
Do you mind me asking what the process is like to apply to an oil major's grad scheme? What's the interview like? What year of college do you start networking and getting into the space? Any internships to gun for while in college? How do I get my foot in the door?
the "high school aspiring investment banker" influenza has spread to commodities...
1. Don't worry about this too much right now. Enjoy high school and your initial years of uni (but get good grades). Also, keep an open mind and try other things in college
2. You apply to these programs the fall before you graduate so (assuming you're graduating high school this school year and are taking a four year program at uni) you'd apply in Fall 2027. You've still got some years ahead of you
3. There is no hard rule to networking. If you're interested in the space and appear mature, people will be happy to chat. Given most applicable jobs in Canada are in Calgary, going to UCalgary would make it easiest to network
4. Internships: marketing internships at producers, supply & trading/marketing at midstreams and/or majors, trading desks at power producers
I know people who got into commodities from schools like SAIT. Main thing is to network hard and study a relevant subject ie. economics, finance, supply chain. If you choose Ucalgary, they have an annual event called BP Trading competition which is pretty cool.
Thanks, this is the exact type of information I've been looking for. I have been accepted for finance so that is what I'd be studying. That BP trading event sounds really cool. Have a good one!
Go to the best school possible, get the best grades possible, get the best internships possible.
But if you really must know (ucalagry, uofa obvi), uwaterloo, uoft seem the most common. But again best resume possible is what we look at.
Last comment, if you went to Ivey and got a great internship at top us bb for the summer (fixed income or who knows) but decided I prefer commodities genuinely. I would prolly put your resume at top asap while you may not be doing commodity stuff directly I know you did real work and were in a real trade floor environment sort of thing. Similarly if you did an MBB internship.
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