With a young daughter and a full-time job, Yiming was already busy before adding part-time study into the mix. The Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain and Operations Management was the perfect way to upskill without undertaking a full masters – and a better fit for his busy schedule.
“I am married with a lovely three-year-old daughter, and working full-time,” Yiming said. “Work is busy and life after work is busy as well, either looking after my daughter and playing with her, or working overtime and studying.” Having completed a Master of Commerce in 2014, Yiming now works in after-sales service for a technology company.
“I did feel a little nervous going back to campus after almost 10 years,” Yiming admitted, adding that “working full-time and studying part-time is not easy”. Nevertheless, he knew he could make it work. “We can always manage in our own way. Dealing with change is part of our day-to-day life,” he said, adding that the course format also made a difference to his comfort level. “I would say the online course is really user-friendly for a person like me.”
“I had always wanted to study at the University of Melbourne, which is top-ranked,” said Yiming. While considering the possibility of returning to study, he received some encouraging advice. “A friend of mine, who was studying at Melbourne Business School, advised me to take this course.” Inspired by his friend’s positive experience at the University, Yiming enrolled to study the Graduate Certificate in Supply Chain and Operations Management.
In the first semester, Yiming knew he had made the right decision. He was already gaining practical insights and learning new concepts that applied to his job. “I got to know some basic theories relating to my daily work, which gave me an opportunity to re-evaluate if I was doing the right thing at work,” he explained.
When Yiming’s class embarked on a site visit to the Officeworks warehouse, he had another chance to see concrete examples of the concepts he was learning. “The point of this kind of visit is to broaden our horizons and let us know that the theories we learned do apply in the real world,” he said. “I also got to see what an advanced and automated distribution centre looks like.”
Yiming summarised the program’s appeal for a working professional like himself. “This program is short and won’t put too much pressure on you, even if you are working full-time. It provides more benefits than knowledge alone, such as networking opportunities and industry visits.”
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