The sky’s the limit

June 27, 2018

TANZ eCampus Learner Kelly Richardson

Just shy of 30, Kelly Richardson is living the dream. A mum – with another little one on the way – and a business owner, Kelly has just graduated with a New Zealand Diploma in Business from TANZ eCampus. Most impressively, she’s showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to fulfilling her potential.

Running her own business looking after accounting for tradesmen in Marlborough and, in her own words, being “the backup dancer” for her partner’s panel beating business, it boggles the mind that Kelly would have capacity to undertake a qualification while also juggling young children.

“I really wanted to study because I want to have a qualification behind my name to further my credibility. Additionally, with young kids, I really want to encourage them to pursue higher education; I want to set an example.

“I’ve always believed that busy people get more done, so that was my attitude towards all of my responsibilities. It’s about managing your time well, and for me, I’m quite old school in my approach.

“I kept a daily diary and when I started my study, I set in place the habit of always reviewing what I had to do each week and planned out my days by preparing myself for what needed to be done and how much time needed to be spent. I managed to get to Fiji during my study and spend time with my family each day.”

Kelly’s key advice to current and prospective students who are busy with other areas of their life is to never leave assignments to the last minute, and to take advantage of the times when inspiration really strikes. “Once you get into the flow, you have to keep going and can’t stop!”

Acknowledging that the contemporary workforce looks favourably at prospective candidates who hold a tertiary qualification, Kelly is thankful she was able to find an education provider that suited her lifestyle.

“I couldn’t have committed to a classroom situation, so TANZ eCampus was a great option for me. Looking ahead, I am considering a Bachelor of Commerce through TANZ as it would only take another couple of years from here, and I could do it when I have the baby.

“That’s the great thing about online learning as anyone can do it regardless of their situation. When I recently graduated, I did it with my friend’s dad who is in his fifties, which was so nice!