Studing an MSc in mathematics can lead to many careers. For our interviewee, it led to a career in the financial services industy.
After completing a BSc in applied mathematics at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, Guillermo Padres Jorda found that the world of work wasn’t living up to his expectations.
“The job I had”, he recalls, “was not challenging enough, so I decided to pursue a graduate level degree. I always enjoyed mathematics and was always pretty good at it, so I couldn’t think of a better subject for me to study.”
A visit to Sweden left him enamoured of the country, and he chose to study his MSc, focussing on Black-Scholes Theory and partial differential equations, at Uppsala University as the course was internationally competitive.
Another factor in his decision was the absence of tuition fees (though since then they have been introduced for international students). Savings and a loan from the Mexican Central Bank provided the money for his day to day life.
Did he enjoy his time in Sweden? He answers in the affirmative, informing us that he enjoyed living there so much that he has chosen to remain there and work in the Stockholm’s financial sector. “I am practically settled here,” he declares.
The advantages of international experience
Unlike many mathematicians who are keen to stay in academia, Jorda was always keen to work in the financial sector. This is reflected in his choice of degree, perhaps one of the most fitting options for mathematicians looking to utilize their expertise in real world situations.
“Master’s level study helped me become more patient with problem understanding and solving,” He comments. “You learn to think in a more thorough way.” He adds that studying abroad in itself helped him to enter and succeed within his chosen profession.
“Graduate school by itself didn’t necessarily prepare me for my current position; it was the combination of the international experience and graduate school that helped me identify, within my home country and Sweden, a business model that we are currently investigating to implement.”
He says he is enjoying his work, and is “looking forward to new enterprises and ideas and projects.”
Added value
Jorda’s assertions help us to remember that it is possible to focus too much on the content of the program, and the specific university at the expense of remembering the other advantages offered by international study.
“I think the international experience is a great thing and will give you a lot of added value in your life, as well as the curriculum of studying a graduate program.”
Consequently, Jorda would “definitely encourage studying a graduate degree somewhere abroad.” And who knows, like him, you may end up not just finding a new job, but a new home...