Bachelor of Applied Management

Amy Williams - Project Management

“I’m Client Assistant here at Perpetual Guardian and I love the flexibility of the role. It includes client and staff communication and analysis of data. I chose the Project Management option for my degree and that choice seemed a positive point of interest at my job interviews.”

“Another big advantage on my CV was that during our course we were out interacting with local businesses with our industry projects. Mine was with a start-up business and I loved that our study was in a social environment.”

“There are several aspects of direct relevance from the course training to what I do in my work here. Because our assignments were done as a team, we learnt the skills and communication of teamwork which I can apply to our team environment here. Time management and scheduling are crucial to my role here in order to motivate myself and other people, and it was a key component of the Project Management study option. Working accurately with numbers and data is essential in business and finance, as is working with business info systems and being tech savvy. And our course also gave us good communication and presentation skills that I use here every day.”

“My first job after graduating was a summer contract at the Regional Economic Development Agency and that gave me a good understanding of business and data analysis. I’ve been working here at Perpetual Guardian since early 2016 and in that time I’ve become even more confident that I can present myself professionally and be respectful in a wide range of situations. My interpersonal skills have really developed and I’m enjoying being part of our team here. I’m learning as much as possible in every situation and I learn something about the world of business every day.”

Aaron Hooper - Applied Management

“After 20 years in the banking industry I wanted a change. I was concerned that I didn’t have a degree so was more susceptible to the ebb and flow of the tides of employment. We have a young family so I wanted to secure their future, plus I made a decision to move away from the corporate world. We sold a house in Auckland which enabled funding for me to do the degree.”
 
Aaron Hooper was surprised at how easy the tutors made it for him as a mature student to re-enter study. “The processes were so streamlined and the tutors are so accessible and passionate about their subject.”
 
They can also be challenging. Aaron - “They challenged us sometimes to change our way of thinking. As part of the course we had to audit a small business. This forced us out of our comfort zone because we had to create new relationships and networks which were part of building our future.”
 
Aaron completed his Bachelor of Applied Management in 2014 and is now a Partner at MAQ Chartered Accounting. “What we learned is very practical in terms of everyday business use. I’m directly applying the financial accounting, management, and taxation that we studied.”
 
“I was 39 when I started my study so my career path has been different from most. I’ve learnt that we’re never too old to change, to learn, and to progress. Don’t let age ever become a barrier.”

Find out more about NorthTec's Applied Management programmes

Nardus Kroese - Accounting

“Nearly everyone needs an accountant, so my Applied Management degree has opened a world of opportunity for me.” Nardus arrived in Whangarei at age 14 from South Africa and has wanted to be an accountant since high school. “My Mum was an accountant but this training has introduced me to a broader skill set than I expected.”

“I loved all the accounting content but the managerial papers really helped me develop as a person and improve my communication skills. I was asked to be student rep for the business sector of NorthTec and I loved the interaction with students from all different courses. I met my networking crew through this and we worked as a team to set up student events like end of year dinners.”

Nardus reminds local people to look locally for tertiary study. “Being at a small polytechnic like NorthTec can be such an advantage. The classes are small so you get one-on-one input, plus you can save money by studying from home.” 

During the last year of his degree Nardus got the opportunity to work in the financial department of NorthTec. “There is an interview process and the idea is for students to see how the business runs. The experience really helped with the position I’ve now got at Fonterra as Business Services Officer in the accounts payable team. I thank all my friends, family and tutors who have assisted me on this journey.”

“Doing the Applied Management degree opened my eyes to the different specialties within accounting – like tax, auditing, and managerial accounting. I’m keen to become a Chartered Accountant and will probably decide between managerial and financial accountancy. Being with Fonterra gives me a great chance to get experience as well as options for stepping up.”

Eloise Neeley - Applied Management

“I chose to study at NorthTec because I wanted to study locally, get the degree I had always wanted, meet Northland people and get back into my community. Studying at NorthTec for me achieved that and more. I just really loved it and had brilliant tutors who continue to support me even after I have left.”

Kaila Verdadero - Business

“I did my degree in business management at a university in the Philippines and had worked in the same office job there since then. I was ready for a change, was keen to upskill, and I saw New Zealand as a good opportunity, so applied to the NorthTec international campus in Auckland. I’ve just completed my Graduate Diploma in Business which will be forever on my CV now.”

“The diploma involved eight months of study and the best part of it was the attitude and competence of the tutors. They gave us clear guidelines but were adamant that we were independent in how we went about things. This worked well for me because I prefer to work alone and then get feedback. I found the papers in the last semester were hard but the other students helped me calm down and de-stress.”

“While I was studying I was working part time in a retail store, and since graduating I have been given a position as Assistant Manager in that store. One of our study subjects was consumer behaviour so it’s fascinating now to see the exact things we learnt about, played out in life. All of what we learnt is a perfect fit for my work now.”

“Since I’ve been working here, my sense of responsibility has grown a lot. There’s a real consequence for your actions and you have to do certain things to get results. I’m operating at a whole different level.”

“I’m keen to stay in this job to learn more then would like to progress to the role of Manager. My dream situation would be to be Regional Manager of all the stores of this retail firm in Auckland. That would be a huge leap and require some major life changes but I know it’s possible.”

Fiona Taylor - Accounting

“The reason I did the business study was to get validity and pay equality for the business experience I already had, plus I wanted to get more into management. I previously had a strong background in business and accounting. I had been a PA for a power company, we had a security business, my parents ran a skating rink, and I now work full time for a business in town. Getting the business qualifications gave recognition and value to that experience.”

“Because I work full time, I did my studies part time at home and I finished my degree at the end of 2016. During my study time I was engaged and couldn’t find a venue that I wanted to get married in, so for my industry study project I researched wedding venues. We had an under-utilised, beautiful site here so I’ve now started a business offering our property as a wedding venue.”

“The aspects of the NorthTec course that provided huge value to my wedding business idea, were the marketing and research papers I had to complete. I did a survey on Facebook of other wedding venues, priced out marquees, tepees and permanent buildings, and was in touch with both the Chamber of Commerce and Northland Inc and other venues located in Kumeu, an area similar to my location. As a result I now run two entrepreneurial businesses – one offering the wedding venue and the other one for a B&B that I started here in early 2016. The initial idea for the B&B was that the bride could stay here as part of the wedding venue package.”

“My next step is to get the official sign-off on what we have done so far, and in the meantime I’ll focus on creating the gardens and environment, and then plan our next small building which will be a shack-themed shed that we can use as a bar.”

“I’m at an exciting phase of the project now and if I hadn’t done the degree I wouldn’t be in this position. I still work full time but I have Fridays off so I have three days to concentrate on my own businesses – Willows on Abbey and Abbey Barn B&B.” 

“I look forward to creating the next stage of the project and I love seeing the pleasure my clients get from the experience here. That in itself is a rich reward.”

Laine Monkhouse - Accounting

“When I did well at the admin and technology course in Kerikeri a few years ago, the tutor suggested I enrol for the longest and hardest course going – the Bachelor of Applied Management. So I did. It was a push for me but it was great and has landed me this wonderful job at PKF in Kerikeri.”

“When I completed the degree I literally door-knocked at all the accountancy firms around Kerikeri and Paihia and I particularly wanted a firm who could help me become a Chartered Accountant. When I called in here I saw Alison Lemon who is one of the directors, and she said two of their staff were soon to be on maternity leave so they may want to hire a graduate in the near future.”

“I got offered a job as Client Manager, started straight away and jumped in with two feet. In addition to my role managing client cases, I also train clients in using Xero, do training with GST, do annual accounts, compliance work and some coaching. I know everything that goes on here and I love to participate and be involved.”

“I especially like that everything we do here is underpinned by our values of exceeding expectations, coaching, fresh thinking, being passionate, and having life balance. I realise I particularly like client care and our emphasis is on helping people achieve their own goals. We train people so they can be independent rather than rely on us for their financial figuring and systems.” 

“The level of tasks in my NorthTec degree was in-depth and intricate and directly relevant to the work I’m doing here. A study context can’t replicate work-a-day situations but the course set the expected standards, and the major case study in our final year involved a business plan, analysis and a large presentation at a professional level.”

“I’m enjoying the fast pace here and every day is different. We have a small team with a really supportive vibe. I’m currently doing my CAANZ (Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) training and I’m very aware how much support I need to complete that. I hope to have someone point me as to what is best to do in the longer term when I finish that.”

Simon (Siyu) Shen - Accounting

“I needed a high IELTS score to get accepted for degree study at NorthTec through a Chinese University that has a partnership with NorthTec. I got a high score so was accepted even though I was not yet 17 years old then. I was keen to become an accountant because I was good at maths and my Mum had trained me to be independent, so I enrolled for the Bachelor of Applied Management majoring in accountancy.”

“The best aspect of my degree study has been the support of the tutors and NorthTec International which resulted in me being offered a business internship. My basic goal was to get as much experience as I could outside my study, and it started with a part-time job as a kitchen hand when I first came to NorthTec. I got fired because I was too slow, so I went to International and offered to help with English classes for free.”

“I enjoyed the course study but the accountancy jargon and language was a bit of a stretch for my English at the beginning. Last year I became the NorthTec student rep for CA ANZ (Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) to help promote the organisation to students. Before that, in my second year, I was lucky enough to be part of the CA ANZ achiever programme which matches students with a potential employer. Through this I did a two-week internship with a power company and later that year they offered me regular contract work.”

“When I completed my degree last year, that company offered me a permanent role and I’m really enjoying it. The degree study helped me understand the basics of accounting and now I can see the relevance and I’m applying the knowledge to real-life situations. This is a large organisation and my skills, my thinking and my mindset have really grown and broadened since I’ve been working here. This company is great to work for and people are really accessible.”

“I will now continue to do my CA ANZ modules to become a charted accountant and I’ll see what unfolds from there.”

Gina Brighouse - Applied Business Management

“I tossed up between studying architecture or business management here and chose business management because it applies to any industry and can be used in any country.”

But it took Gina seven years to get her degree in applied Business Management. “I did two years full time then went out and got some real world experience. I walked the street and knocked on doors and someone offered me work as a junior in an accountancy office simply because I did that. They paid for my studies and gave me time off so that I could stairs-step from the certificate to other diploma, to the degree.”

Learning isn’t easy for Gina. “I am dyslexic so I have to really put in the hours. I was home-schooled and then did correspondence so even sitting in a classroom was a new experience for me. Initially I started with the degree but I freaked out so went back and started at certificate level. The tutors here were very very helpful. They liked me because I worked hard and they got me lots of extra help.”

After Gina completed her degree she continued to study part time until she became Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). She now works as a senior accountant with a local firm. “Accountancy is a highly sought after skill with a broad application, so getting my degree has given me the security that my skills will always be relevant. I am now broadening my experience, and ultimately I’d like to be a partner in an accounting firm.”

Gina highly recommends that people get some real life experience before settling into study. “It makes what you’re learning real and gives your student life more balance.”

Find out more about NorthTec's Bachelor of Applied Management

Jaswant Minhas - Business Management

“I’m really glad I decided to study at NorthTec. All the tutors are great, they’re from all over the world and it was really good to work with them. It was much easier studying locally because I learned all that I could have learned in Auckland, but without the travel and the inconvenience.

“Being a business owner, it was great for me to have some classes in the evenings and some in the mornings – it meant I could study around my business commitments.

“I think more people should study locally in Northland - I would encourage anyone to study at NorthTec. It’s just as good as studying in Auckland and you don’t need to travel.”

Jaswant, who owns and runs three Indian restaurants in Northland, was planning to study in Auckland, but after seeing the programmes on offer at NorthTec he decided to stay local for a one-year NZIM (New Zealand Institute of Management) Diploma in Management.