Meet UniSA Online’s new graduates

Why have you decided to study at this point in your life?

I’ve been working in the family business since a very young age. My dad has taught me a lot about different facets of the business and would often share what he was working on at home. I knew that the valuable experience I had from working in the family business coupled with the knowledge gained from a degree would set me up well in my future career.

Are there any skills or insights that you learned during your studies that you have applied to your business?

I found the advertising courses extremely valuable. I enjoyed learning about the importance of defining your target market, segmenting different audiences, and techniques to build your customer pipeline. Many of the business courses also gave me an insight into how different parts of the supply chain are run, which has led me to think about my own business and ways in which current processes can be improved.

What were the personal and professional motivations for advancing your career?

I deal with many suppliers such as sales representatives and many of them have bachelor’s degrees. I knew that to be competitive in the workforce and to be respected among my peers, I would need to gain a university qualification.

I’ve always wanted to complete a university degree and chose to study business to keep my career options open. Since graduating, I’ve felt a greater level of confidence. Finishing something that I set out to do was a very rewarding and refreshing feeling.

As I progressed through my studies, I gradually took on more responsibilities in the business, which allowed me to apply my knowledge directly into my role.

What kind of opportunities does 100% online study give you?

Studying with UniSA Online has been a great experience. I’ve enjoyed the flexibility of choosing my study times as well as the ability to continue working full-time, which was extremely important for me. Studying online also allowed me to meet people who are living in other states or countries and hear about their views and experiences.

It’s been a very different experience compared to the last time I started my engineering degree at another university. During that time, the study schedule was quite rigid and didn’t allow me to keep working at the same time.

Was there anything holding you back from starting uni?

The only thing I was unsure about was how much time I’d need to dedicate to study. Being in the middle of a house renovation was an added challenge. The ability to log on, watch a few course videos where I can, and be able to ask questions on a course forum at 1am, knowing that I would have an answer the next day, was fantastic.

How did you feel at your graduation? How did you celebrate?

My graduation was a time for me to reflect on what I had achieved over the past three years. I’m so glad my wife was able to join me at my graduation. She stayed up late most nights while I finished my assignments. She was there to make me a coffee if I needed one, and be a sounding board for all my ideas. Without her, I wouldn’t have been successful in my degree.