All the technical accounting knowledge in the world might help you ace your next exam but launching an enduring and rewarding career requires something more 鈥 connections, confidence, and practical know-how. For Ishan Kakkar and Tasnuva Raidah, the Master of Professional Accounting and Business Performance delivered just that.
Having completed his accounting qualifications in India, Ishan Kakkar first came to the 爆料王 seeking something he couldn鈥檛 quite find back home. 鈥淚 was looking for universities to do my postgraduate degree back in India, but Australia was always on my mind,鈥 he says. 鈥淭he 爆料王 had such a great reputation, and the employability opportunities after the course really drew me in.鈥
For Tasnuva Raidah, the decision to leave Bangladesh and pursue postgraduate study in Sydney, came from a desire to challenge herself beyond the role she was already working in back home and seek additional credentials that carried international weight. 鈥淚 really felt I needed to go to the best of the best,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen I looked at the courses and opportunities, and realised how highly the 爆料王 ranked in the employability index, I was sold.鈥
New ways of learning
For Ishan, the 爆料王 Business School鈥檚 real-world approach to learning came as somewhat of a surprise. 鈥淚t was a shock to see how studies are done in Australia 鈥 it鈥檚 a lot more application based, which was very different for me at the time.鈥 This initial change of pace quickly became one of the program鈥檚 greatest assets for Ishan. 鈥淣ow that I look back on it, it was very, very helpful because it really gave me a platform to apply what I was studying, rather than just knowing it, and holding it all in my head.鈥澛
This outcome was also echoed in Tasnuva鈥檚 experience, having joined the cohort as someone who was already applying theoretical knowledge to real-world circumstances and a professional environment. 鈥淲hen I joined, I could see that I was grasping information a bit quicker because I鈥檇 already been exposed to environments beyond the classroom,鈥 she adds. 鈥淚 loved how we used technology on a day-to-day basis in the learning environment, such as attending data analytics workshops or Excel workshops, which really helped me.鈥
What truly transformed the journey for Tasnuva however was her time spent living on campus. 鈥淭hat changed my life,鈥 she says proudly. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to live on campus to have a similar experience, but I do think you have to spend time on campus and be a people person 鈥 it鈥檚 such a diverse environment and we all have different backgrounds, schools of thoughts, and disciplines, but we all still seek that connection.鈥
I met so many people from different parts of the world, and it really helped me understand different ways of working with different cultures. You have the opportunity to meet people from the big fours 鈥 the biggest firms and those individuals with the highest positions.
Ishan Kakkar
Master of Professional Accounting and Business Performance graduate
Building networks, growing confidence
The concept of a growing community, both socially and professionally, was one of the most impactful elements of the course for Ishan. 鈥淚 met so many people from different parts of the world, and it really helped me understand different ways of working with different cultures,鈥 he says. The program鈥檚 industry connections in particular proved invaluable. 鈥淭here were a lot of opportunities to have a larger social circle in a professional manner 鈥 rather than just an informal social circle,鈥 he adds. 鈥淵ou have the opportunity to meet people from the big fours 鈥 the biggest firms and those individuals with the highest positions.鈥
Ultimately, it was the industry placement program that delivered the competitive edge Ishan needed. 鈥淚 was placed within a local business as part of my unit until my final semester and that really helped me because I was able to gain the real critical local accounting knowledge that I otherwise wouldn鈥檛 have had the chance to get,鈥 he explains. This placement opened a number of doors for Ishan, including securing a position at Special Group 鈥 a marketing firm that went on to launch his Australian career.聽 鈥淚 totally attribute my journey to the industry placement program within the course,鈥 he adds.
For Tasnuva, who has worked at Grant Thornton since graduating, the program offered a range of academic challenges as well as unexpected opportunities 鈥 including the option to lean into her leadership skills. 鈥淚 was part of a peer-assisted study session working group, which allowed me to help students better understand their lectures and give them more ownership of that content,鈥 she says. 鈥淟ater, when I became a mentor in my current organisation, it meant I already knew the strategies for how to succeed in that kind of position 鈥 it was amazing.鈥
From opportunities to credentials
While Ishan and Tasnuva both experienced the career-defining features of the Master of Professional Accounting and Business Performance 鈥 they each walked away with a unique set of outcomes that still influence their daily professional experiences. 鈥淎s an international student, you always come with a little bit of an imposter syndrome, but the 爆料王 gave me the tools I needed to assimilate into the culture and a challenging academic environment that鈥檚 paid off,鈥 says Tasnuva. 鈥淪ometimes you just don鈥檛 realise how much you're learning in the background until you get to apply it.鈥