Making the decision to go back to school to train for a career change is a tough one. Loss of income or the juggle of working and studying, not to mention the challenge of being a student again. Plus the impact on family, fitness and social life.
However, it’s a choice that over half of the Business School at EIT students make.
Regan Cotter, Business School lecturer says that 52 percent of this year’s students are mature.
“These students are making a big investment of themselves in their choice so they aren’t wasting any time or any of the opportunities we can provide,” he says.
“Being older, they can bring their world experience into their studies and they’ve developed the soft skills that employers are wanting.”
The school programmes in three main streams – accounting, marketing and management – and the mature students fall across all three.
Mike Hannah is a 39 year old former chef who is now in a senior management programme with JJ Richards, an Australasian waste management company. He completed a graduate diploma in marketing supported by courses in supply chain and operations management.
Greg Martin, 33, will be completing his Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in accounting this year. He has already secured a full-time position with Hastings chartered accountancy and business advisory firm Crowe Horwath after working part-time there this year.
Mike says the workload is not for faint-hearted but is definitely worth it. He worked as well as studied, sacrificed time with his young family and missed out on a summer to work through his diploma as quickly as possible.
Now he has a work life that is far better suited to being there for his young family.
Greg started thinking about gaining tertiary qualifications while he was overseas. He discovered that not having any tertiary qualifications meant he could only get low paying jobs. It wasn’t a prospect that appealed.
He and his Finnish partner came back to Hawke’s Bay and he enrolled into full-time study at EIT.
“I tried to get a job here but had the same problem. It was a case of now or never.”
EIT’s School of Business has made programme innovations of late. There are four start points each year so students can choose the best time
Greg Martin (left) and Mike Hannah
to start.
Assessments have been redesigned to better match real world situations and the number of exams has been reduced.
“We work hard to have close connections to the business community so that our programmes are relevant. It also helps students to build networks they will benefit from in the future,” says Regan.
Chef turns to marketing in a ‘mature’ career change
Holding down a full-time job, making time for a young family, being there as a husband, and studying to change your career. It’s not a workload for the faint-hearted but it’s definitely worth it.
“Just get it done so you can move on,” is the opinion of Mike Hannah, who gave up 23 years as a chef to undertake a graduate diploma in marketing supported by courses in supply chain and operations management from the EIT School of Business.
After stints in some of the leading restaurant kitchens in the region, including Mangapapa Lodge and Pacifica, Mike decided the workstyle did not fit well with a young family.
“I like a good challenge and going back to school was one. I had to learn to study again and there was a lot I didn’t know how to do, like referencing, but I had a good goal so I was stubborn about it. In the end I really enjoyed the study.”
Mike’s determination has paid off and although getting his first step on the business ladder took longer than he’d have liked. He’s secured a position with JJ Richards, an Australasian waste management company.
At EIT his aim was to complete his diploma as quickly as he could, so he elected to complete his work place project (industry based learning – IBL) module over the summer. Another challenge as it was a particularly hot Hawke’s Bay summer.
With his hospitality background Mike wanted to work with a business that was food related and was delighted when Bohemian Chocolate details were passed on to him by Regan Cotter, Business School lecturer and IBL coordinator.
“I love chocolate so it was really enjoyable,” says Mike. Not that the project required taste testing. Mike’s project was to utilise the skills and knowledge he had gained to conduct market research on the chocolate scene around the world and recommend a marketing strategy that would raise the profile of Bohemian Chocolate.
He presented his findings along with recommendations to Bohemian Chocolate who came to EIT specifically for this. Mike is chuffed that some of his ideas have been taken on board, even down to buying new equipment.
“I got a lot out of it and it was really satisfying to know they thought what I’d researched and presented was worth it.”
Now at JJ Richards, Mike is in a senior management programme learning the business from the ground up. He is spending two to three months in all areas of the business including sales, operations, logistics and engineering.
“It’s like being back at school but I’m better prepared this time.”