How this instructor crossed three countries and completed three degrees before arriving at SAIT

For this SAIT instructor, the road less travelled led to his dreams

Sanoop Sadique arrived in Canada with two degrees, a young family, industry experience and a brief but transformational experience with teaching. He didn’t know it yet, but a few short years later, Sanoop would be back at the front of a classroom.

It wasn’t something he had envisioned for himself before. “My mother was an elementary teacher, and, growing up, I thought, ‘no, no, it would be impossible for me.’ I saw the effort she put in … it was so much work and seemed so hard.”

Yet, years earlier in India, Sadique had his first experience teaching. (Spoiler alert: it wouldn’t be the last.) By then, he had completed his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology and his Master of Business Administration – Marketing from Cochin University of Science and Technology. When he took on a seven-month-long position teaching IT for business students, he was surprised to find the experience very fulfilling.

Still, rather than pivoting to teaching then and there, Sadique chose to develop his professional skills from the futuristic, coastal beauty of Dubai. There, he used the expertise he gained from his MBA and eventually worked in Sony Electronics’ Middle East and Africa division, where he was involved in product management, sales and branding.

It was from there that he watched his former students applying their education in their careers.

“One or two years after I taught that IT class, I started seeing my students graduate and share their achievements online. I realised some of the seeds I put down were now becoming trees. It was the best.”

He knew he wanted to go back to teaching at some point, yet remained in industry until 2019, when he and his young family relocated to Calgary — a city very different from his previous residences: his hometown, a small village within driving distance of India’s beachy Keralan coast, and the skyscraping banks of Dubai.

“The first thing I did when we decided to move to Canada was Google, ‘Where is the warmest place?’” Sadique laughs, “But I talked to a friend with family in Calgary, and she said it was beautiful, so that’s where we went. It snowed in September, three days after we arrived.”

In addition to waking up to unseasonable snow, Sadique arrived just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While working odd jobs in this challenging time, he also reflected on what he wanted for his future. After over a decade working in industry, it was volunteering as a tech mentor at the Calgary Public Library that helped him make his decision.

“Throughout my life, I've always had a passion for technology, considering it both a hobby and a personal interest. During the tech mentor sessions, I met many individuals who, despite being highly experienced in their respective fields, struggled with basic tech concepts. I was able to guide them through these challenges, and the smiles on their faces brought me great joy. This experience helped me realize I wanted to pursue a career in computer systems.”

Sadique decided to return to school, choosing SAIT’s Information Technology Computer Systems diploma program.

For his commitment to the SAIT community and his passion for empowerment through technology, Sadique was awarded SAIT’s 2023 President’s Medal.

What’s more, during his studies, Sadique formed connections that would lead him to where he is today.

A School of Advanced Digital Technology (SADT) instructor got Sadique in touch with SAIT’s Service Desk team, where he began working when his final semester ended. Staying at SAIT made sense to Sadique, allowing him to improve his skills while staying in touch with his academic contacts — especially since teaching was still on his mind.

Open to advice, he approached the SADT academic chair. “I said, ‘I have an interest in teaching, maybe in two or three years.’”

Then an opportunity presented itself — much sooner than expected: a first-year Information Technology Services class on server fundamentals, which he could balance with his ongoing Service Desk work.

Sadique accepted, and the experience confirmed teaching was the route for him.

“Teaching gives you the satisfaction of seeing students’ ‘a-ha!’ moments, connecting with students and knowing they will surprise you in the future.”

Based on experience he gained in his Masters and extensive work experience, he added School of Business classes to his portfolio and was teaching full-time by the following semester.

Sadique sitting with the platform party during his convocation ceremony, where he received SAIT’s 2023 President’s Medal.

Today, Sadique can be found mostly at the front of first-year School of Business classrooms, teaching students fundamentals of technology and marketing, sharing knowledge from his three degrees and many years of industry experience.