From the classroom to the workforce
Changting credits three main elements of RMIT’s Master of Commerce for his ability to join a Fortune 500 bank as his first job after graduation: professional knowledge, time management skills, and public speaking.
"The theoretical knowledge I gained about commerce made me stand out in job applications. The project management course taught me how to plan my own time better for job hunting, so I can focus my time and energy better while balancing job-seeking and academic pursuits. Finally, a large part of the school's courses require presentations, which have honed my public speaking skills and helped me stand out during the group discussion stages of interviews."
Changting was also impressed by RMIT's focus on turning academic learning into practical skills.
"There is an ancient Chinese saying that goes 'Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles'. Many schools do not have a good way to apply the knowledge from books into practice. RMIT emphasises identifying, researching, and solving problems in school hours as well as daily life."
Six years after graduation, Changting is a senior product manager at a listed FinTech company in China. He believes RMIT's teaching and research methods, which are very close to real-life work, prepared him well for his role, where large amounts of data need to be processed and analysed.
"The course included field research, as well as research through questionnaires, interviews, conferences and other approaches. These research methods enabled me to become proficient in customer surveys, loan risk reviews, and other related work in banks."
A first impression with career-influencing effect
RMIT University appealed to Changting because of its international perspective and facilities, as well as its employment-focused curriculum. The location of RMIT’s Melbourne City campus was an unexpected bonus, too.
"Building 80 is the most intelligent teaching building, and its unique library in the centre of Melbourne greatly enhances the immersive learning experience."
Changting made the most of his time at RMIT, volunteering with RMIT English Worldwide (REW) – an English language school in Melbourne that supports international students to improve their English and prepare for tertiary study. He planned study tours for new students, which he found helpful in developing his leadership skills.
"Planning a study tour is like managing a small project. I had to plan the route, including the timing and tour safety, key scenarios and plans for emergencies. It's similar to what I'm currently doing, where I sometimes serve as a project manager, leading an agile team to complete a complex project. Leading study tours gave me accumulated valuable experience in program management. I also made many good friends through this project."
Changting's final advice for those wanting to study at RMIT is: "Communicate more with your teachers, make more friends, and speak English bravely."
Story: Courtney Bow
