Alumni Interview - Willem Atack

Written by Max Safir, 10/20/2024

Going from TYS into university, what were some of your choices? 

“‘In Grade 9 and 10, I found that I really liked math and science.” “When the time came to pick courses, I chose courses like physics and chemistry”. 

“I was pretty indecisive,”

“But I decided to do engineering just because I liked these courses. I liked the idea of it being more applied and being able to build stuff.” 

(“Also, a lot of my family were engineers, and growing up around that, and I knew it could lead to good opportunities.)

What advice would you give someone who still doesn’t know what they want to go into? 

Think about what you enjoy right now, but also the future

“You should do something that you’re interested in.” “Picking from your favorite classes is a good idea because in university, you’ll spend a lot of time in those courses.” “Maybe some unpopular advice, but it could also help to think beyond university  and into what your ultimate career goal could be.” 

As a student at Queen’s and UofT; What was your uni experience like?

“They were incredibly different experiences; not just because the schools are different, but also the difference between your undergrad and your masters.” 

Being a undergrad student takes a lot of time and is a big part of your identity

“It’s more all-encompassing.” “This doesn’t just mean in terms of studying for more classes, but also extracurricular activities and the campus life, whether that’s playing in intramurals or maybe living with housemates.” 

“With your undergrad, you’re also often in a lot of courses,” -- “It can feel like you’re given a fire hose of assignments and exams and you have to stay on top of it all.”

“Whereas, with the Masters, it’s more of a job, especially as I had two years of actual working in between finishing my undergrad and starting my master’s.” “Things felt slower paced in my master’s. 

“To answer your initial question, both are great schools, both are great choices.” “One is in Toronto, and one is far away, and both can be a great experience to have.”

How did your undergrad compare to high school?

“In terms of tests and exams, it's pretty similar in that sense; which is an advantage when you go into university”.

“In terms of lifestyle, it’s very different.”

“Firstly, as you’re probably on your own, you have a lot more personal responsibilities”. “The York school obviously does a good job at having clubs and activities; but when you’re in uni, these activities do grow into your life.”

How are you involved with extracurriculars past Uni? How would you describe them?

Options for everyone

“I was on the varsity squash team when I was at Queens” -- “Time commitments were three-four two hour practices a week, which definitely kept me busy and fit.” 

“On the more academic side, I also chose to join a machine learning and AI design team.” 

Extracurriculars are valuable

“Unlike high school, the classes are so big so it’s definitely a bit harder to form friends from your courses directly.” “Extracurriculars are a good way to find that smaller group of people.”

“They also gave me a better insight into what a career in a field would look like, rather than the theory-filled classes.”

Realizing that ChatGPT became a really big thing around the time you had begun your masters, what can you say about the usage of AI, how is it different between school and post school?

No substitute for your mind

“When I was first exposed to it, I didn’t really use it too much. If I had a specific question, it might point me in the right direction. -- “In the internship I’m part of right now, we’re kind of encouraged to use it, because it does help your productivity.”

 “At school, it’s probably best to avoid, because the whole point is to make yourself smarter and use your brain, as well as making mistakes and learning from them.”  -- “It’s probably what your teachers say, but you’re kind of just cheating yourself.”

What’s your job now? How has it been linked to your university degree?

“After my undergrad in Applied Math engineering, I worked on the trading floor.. which was not like Wolf of Wall Street”

Things get pretty specific

“Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to go into something more technically challenging, while still being involved in the trading and investments industry.” 

“This wasn’t really a problem, as there’s a lot of cool opportunities right now in the space of using math with trading.” -- “Now, I work at a hedge fund, which I was able to get to because of my experience in trading before, and because of my master’s.”

What are the options for a career in your field?

One undergrad ≠  One path

“I have friends from my underground that are doing all kinds of things” -- “Some went into the trading industries, others range from software engineers like data scientists, to careers like consulting.” 

“When I was in high school, I maybe didn’t even know what these things were.”

“Most companies aren’t looking for people fresh out of their undergraduate degrees, because that’s just not realistic”. “The skills you’re using from your undergrad degree can be used for whatever industry you’re curious about.”

What advice would you give someone who is considering entering this field?

“Be genuinely curious. Do something that you want to and can enjoy doing.”

Thanks to Willem Attack for this week’s Alumni Outreach