Tag Archives: MBA Full Time Intensive
Welcome to the UWA MBA Full Time Intensive – “the place where you will all read until your eyes bleed and think until your head hurts. The contained energy inside the Tony Howarth Lecture Theatre stirred as our lecturers delivered these sentiments as anecdotes for the next 12 months. This energy resonated from the 20 MBA students who tried desperately to sit and make sense of everything that was thrust upon them during the first weeks of Session 1. As daunting as this statement sounds – I think I speak for most of us, when I say that we were quite ready to start what looked like a very exciting year ahead.
I arrived 3 days late for the MBA orientation, as a curious traveller not entirely sure what to expect – but ready to star in another chapter of my life’s adventure. I chose to come to the University of Western Australia (UWA) because I wanted to meet individuals who share the same fundamental values as myself – but who, at the same time challenge me with new meaning. I chose to come to UWA because I wanted to test my limits and learn more about my own ambition. So it goes without saying that I was pleasantly comforted when the Dean, Phil Dolan, emphasised the fact that ‘becoming an effective leader is a life long process and progression’ and with that I believe that we must all put ourselves in position of discomfort (in order to succeed)”.
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After nearly 17 years of working in project, engineering and operations management, I decided that I would finally get around to getting that MBA that I had been meaning to undertake for quite some time (My excuse was that it was too difficult having moved through 6 cities in 3 different countries during that time). However, like many people, I was torn between the loss of income doing a 1 year intensive full time program and the length of time (and risk of not completing) a 3 to 4 year part time one. Being the father of two young children (aged 1 and 2 at the time) definitely added to the complexity of the decision.
While there is a lot of literature out there about both, I thought that I’d share some of my insights and experiences of undertaking the MBA Full Time Intensive program here at the University of Western Australia (UWA) for the benefit of others like myself who are trying to decide.
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When we start secondary school, move out of home or decide to live abroad, we are transitioning to something new. When I went to university as an 18-year-old, I decided to get away from everything that I found comfortable. I decided to leave my home town in Kent, UK to go to rainy Manchester, a 5-hour drive, well away from my friends and family. At the time, I believed I was embarking into the world of higher education to gain a degree to launch my career. However, upon reflection it was also an important part of my personal journey. I learnt more about my own self-identity, how to be independent and what it took to build relationships from scratch. After I entered the workforce, I found it too easy to get into a routine and before long, 6 years had gone by. Had I developed in those years? Maybe a little in splutters and spurts. Had I progressed with my youthful dreams of becoming a business leader and having a positive impact on the world? Somewhat, but slowly.
In the second-half of 2015 I began applying for the MBA Full Time Intensive program at the University of Western Australia (UWA), my intention being to develop my business skills and knowledge; to gain that qualification that would enable me to transition to a role with greater managerial and commercial responsibilities. Now, half-way through the Full Time Intensive program at the UWA Business School, I have developed those necessary managerial skills in areas such as accounting and organisational change and yes, I believe I will be able to get a more fulfilling role with greater responsibilities. However, there is something even more valuable that the UWA MBA Full Time Intensive offers, and which I am really just starting to recognise and appreciate.
