Celeste Dally, 26, plans to throw a party later this year when she completes her Bachelor of Business through Open Universities Australia (OUA). The Queenslander, who didn’t finish secondary school, has exciting career aspirations.
Where are you working now?
I’m a relationship manager with National Australia Bank (NAB) in Brisbane. I grew up in New Zealand, moved out of home at 15 and continued school while I lived with my sister. I then moved to Australia and tried to restart high school but found the system quite different. I started applying for jobs, handing out my CV at burger joints, cafes and bowling alleys. Unbelievably, NAB took me on as a teller, and after eight years, I’ve worked my way up to ‘Partner’, where I look after a portfolio of health clients.
What are you studying through OUA?
In 2006 I started my Bachelor of Business, with an Economics Major. All but a handful of units have been with Swinburne University of Technology. A work mentor encouraged me to study, as it can be difficult to move into management roles without a degree. I had experience but no qualifications so I decided I had nothing to lose. Although I was hesitant about whether I could learn without face-to-face contact, I decided to give OUA study a go and it’s worked well for me. Working in the business world while studying has been advantageous as I’ve been able to apply study concepts to work situations.
What was returning to study like?
I found some of the introductory material quite helpful. My employer assists me through study leave and financially, with some conditions attached. The whole experience, although very challenging, has been more manageable than I expected. OUA has a very useful website – you can search units by degrees or institutions.
I don’t really need to chat online with other students. I’ve done fine without that, but understand that others find it useful. It’s important to make study a habit and keep to a schedule as much as possible.
You work full-time, so how do you fit in study?
I work between 40 and 60 hours a week. I need to have a fully flexible study schedule, as I often need to be available for clients after hours.
OUA understands the value of flexibility and that a university degree shouldn’t be provided in a cookie-cutter approach, forcing every student to attend a campus.
I’m extremely busy with work, sport, my partner, family, friends and in my community. I’ve found that I can pretty much study anywhere. I’ve only taken off a couple of semesters – once to travel and once over summer. I’ve studied on planes, on trains, in cafes and while camping.
I like being a student without the student lifestyle. I’ve worked full-time the entire time I’ve been studying and I’m financially stable. I’m very proud that I was able to buy my first house when I was 24. I’ve funded my education, travelled a lot, and have reasonable savings.
What advice would you give to potential students considering online learning?
Don’t worry about the risk that you won’t be able to grasp course content without sitting in a room with the lecturer in front of you. Take comfort that reputable universities are used to delivering a quality education. If you need constant discussion and debate, tap into the student forums regularly.
Where do you think your degree will lead?
Studying has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I grew up in pretty basic circumstances and as a result, I’d like to see more opportunities for people to improve their own lives, other than through welfare.
Volunteering and social entrepreneurship is a passion of mine. I think we all have a responsibility to one another to encourage and create equality wherever we can. I take pride in being a Kiva lender, where I lend money to very, very small businesses in developing countries. These small business people then pay the money back, which shows that they have used my money to be able to generate an income. This is more rewarding to me than donations to charity.
I’m not sure what I’ll do years down the track, but I would like to have a greater involvement in social business, working with disadvantaged communities.
To find out more, please phone 1300 881 548 or visit www.open.edu.au/thinkdone
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