Professional Development

Students delve into stock market

Every day, George Polyzois can access millions of dollars to trade up to 600 stocks a day on the New York Stock Exchange -- and he hasn't even finished university.

SHARON ASCHAIEK
[ 2006-10-25 ]

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The University of Toronto commerce student has spent his fourth year at the school working part time at SwiftTrade, Canada's first and largest direct access electronic trading centre. When they start turning a profit, they receive a percentage of their earnings.

"It gives students an opportunity to gain work experience that will look really good on their resumes and will increase their marketability when they graduate and are competing for jobs," says Peter Beck, president of SwiftTrade.

Designed with students' hectic schedules in mind, the operation is conveniently located near campus, features a relaxed dress code, and offers flexible scheduling with three different daytime shifts of up to three hours long. A fourth early morning shift will soon be added to permit trading on the European markets.

Today, 50 students work at the U of T office, and the company will soon launch a second at Georgian College in Barrie, and a third next year at York University.


"Most universities have mock trading rooms where students can conduct paper trading, and that has its value, but at the end of the day, trading with real money is what provides real-life experience," Beck says.

At first, Polyzios wasn't sure he was cut out for the work: it took him four months to make a profit. Since then, however, he's evolved into one of the top performers on the team, and he's been able to generate enough income to cover one year of tuition and extra expenses.

"My profits have been growing every month and I've doubled my profits since I started," he says.

His experience at SwiftTrade has also played a pivotal role in helping him cement his career plans.

"Trading is the right fit for me," he says. "The stock market lives and breathes almost -- it has a mindset of its own and is a pretty fascinating thing."



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