|
 Philip Jefferys
General MBA, Melbourne Business School
University previously attended: University of Western Australia
Degree obtained: Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Engineering
Country of origin: Australia
Age: 31
Career History
Philip Jefferys joined engineering services company Worley Ltd (now Worley Parsons) straight from his degree at the University of Western Australia. For six years he did design, construction, and commissioning on several major capital projects in the mining industry, before moving to GEM Consulting where he was a management consultant in strategy and performance improvement.
Why Melbourne Business School?
In my mind, Melbourne Business School offers the number one MBA in Australia. I wanted to do the MBA in Australia because my career and my need for a future business network is in Melbourne, Australia.
These strong connections to the business community resulted in a job offer for me after the program with the Boston Consulting Group. During the MBA, most of the big consulting groups come on campus early in the final semester as part of their recruitment drives. I was one of five students employed by Boston Consulting Group.
When I first applied for my MBA I was also lucky enough to be chosen by the Selection Committee to get the Rupert Murdoch Fellowship which paid full tuition plus a $20,000 living allowance.
It also required me to do one semester as an exchange student at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, which provided me with an European perspective of business, and complimented the focus we get in Australia. It was also an opportunity to take specialized elective courses.
Advantages of the MBA
Doing an MBA is worthwhile. My salary has increased 55 percent between my last role and my post-MBA role. But doing an MBA at MBS is particularly advantageous.
For example, in addition to the web-based tool Jobs Online, which serves almost 14,000 alumni, there are more than 100 separate alumni events held around the world each year covering social, professional, and lifelong learning opportunities.
MBS also has a large selection of other courses, as well as the ones we did in the MBA, that look tempting.
"Melbourne Business School's close connections to the business community was a key factor in my decision to do an MBA there."
 Natasha Santha
Part-time MBA, Melbourne Business School
University previously attended: Monash University
Degrees obtained: Electrical Engineering and Commerce
Country of origin: Australia
Age: 28
Career History
Since completing her MBA, Natasha Santha has worked at L.E.K. Consulting as a management consultant. Her working life between her undergraduate and master's degrees included two years at Ernst and Young as an audit risk consultant, three years of running her own business in energy management consulting, and two years at AGL as a project manager.
Why Melbourne Business School?
Melbourne Business School is a preeminent choice for postgraduate management education. Melbourne Business School is the only school locally that is known and respected in the Australian business community and recognized internationally.
The school offers an excellent part-time program that was flexible, and provided the same opportunities, services, and teaching as an equivalent full-time MBA. I heard that the school had an academically rigorous course, delivered by industry-experienced teaching staff, and that it attracted the best students in the Asia Pacific region. My expectations were confirmed.
Advantages of the Melbourne Business School MBA
Melbourne Business School has strong connections with the business community. I wanted to pursue a career in management consulting, and I knew that most consulting firms only hire from two business schools in Australia--Melbourne Business School is one. I know that as my career progresses, my Melbourne Business School connection will also create more opportunities in the future.
The MBA has tangibly modified my career. Prior to doing an MBA, my career options were limited to project management. The MBA means I can pursue my ultimate goal of working in corporate business development. Melbourne Business School connected me with my new employer and the MBA qualification has delivered an immediate 30 percent increase in my salary.
The international exchange program is also a key differentiator of the Melbourne Business School MBA. Spending three months (or a quarter) of the program at the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management in the United States gave me the international experience I was looking for. It also allowed me to develop international networks which I still maintain and through these networks the opportunity to work abroad in the future.
"If I was going to invest the time to do an MBA, I wanted to do it properly."
|
