Making the leap from Media Production to Big Tech

The RTA Media Production program prepares the next generation of students to understand the context of today’s dynamic media landscape and help them actively shape its future. For Stephanie Loureiro, the program served as a foundational starting point, but it wouldn’t be where she’d end up. She used the skills and connections she gained in the Media Production program to set her own path out of the media world and into an executive role in Big Tech.

At the intersection of passion and purpose 

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Loureiro’s early interests ran the gamut of entertainment and pop culture, inspiring her dream career of working in the television industry. Early in her education, when she was afforded a placement at a television station as part of her high school curriculum, she eagerly jumped on the opportunity.

“I was always super into entertainment and pop culture and looked up to TV personalities like Ryan Seacrest,” said Loureiro. “Securing a placement at a television station in high school was a dream come true and was an important step towards applying for the RTA Media Production program and pursuing that passion.”

With starry eyes, an inspired Loureiro moved to Toronto at the end of high school and after witnessing the liveliness of the city and the Toronto Met campus at its heart, knew that she’d be calling The Creative School home. 

The Media Production program allowed Loureiro to gain practical, hands-on experience producing industry-level video, television, podcasting and radio content using state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to develop and refine her skills. During her studies, she started working part-time in the transportation department for the York Region municipality, where she was responsible for all of their video and photography content from concept to publication and would pitch her new creative ideas to the executive team.

When searching for an internship - a Media Production program requirement - she was thrilled to find out she had landed a competitive social media job at Breakfast Television. By the end of the internship, Loureiro was expanding her list of responsibilities beyond social media, including drafting the questions BT hosts would ask in interviews with A-list actors such as Kevin Hart at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The digital frontier: embracing a career in Big Tech

After graduating from the Media Production program, Loureiro began producing and hosting her own show with Rogers TV entitled Social Life - a definite check mark off the career bucket list. By continuously refining her skills and taking on new opportunities, Loureiro commanded an impressive resume to pique any employer's interest. As it turned out, this dedication to continual self-improvement would also be the catalyst for her lateral career move out of media production and into the world of Big Tech.

After following her interests and exploring new creative outlets such as website design and marketing, Loureiro was invited to put these skills to use at her friend's startup, Speer Technologies (external link, opens in new window) , working part-time as the fourth person at the company in the role of Creative Director. Her passion at Speer slowly began to outgrow the love she found from hosting her own show, and before long, she had accepted her new, permanent title as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). 

"I never considered a career in tech when I was in school," remarked Loureiro. "But I knew that I wanted to do something where I could be creative every day. And I found that creativity in my role at Speer Technologies."

Speer Technologies stands at the forefront of innovation, collaborating with brands around the globe to develop forward-thinking solutions and assisting with end-to-end product development. In her role as CSO, Loureiro is responsible for many activities, including sourcing new grant opportunities and funding, but her accolades extend far beyond her nine-to-five job.

Leading the next generation of changemakers 

Loureiro was also recently nominated in multiple categories at the Women in Tech Awards for her work in the tech space. She's also kept busy by participating as a delegate in the G20 summit last year, which saw her travel to India and be involved in writing policy with other delegates that would later be delivered to the leaders of the G20 summit, including Justin Trudeau.

Loureiro's accomplishments are impressive - especially at such a young age - but she'll be the first to admit that anyone can reach similar heights with grit, determination, and a whole lot of passion. For Loureiro, always looking for and saying yes to new opportunities is half the battle.

"Be open to what life throws at you because you never know where your degree will take you," stated Loureiro." I always made it a habit to say yes to every opportunity to get as much exposure as possible, especially throughout school. Having real-life experience to call upon in a job interview is extremely valuable, and these experiences eventually led me into the world of tech."

Interested in learning more about Loureiro or Speer Technologies? Check out her website (external link)  and see how Speer (external link)  is redefining the tech world. 

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.