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 Alasdair Martin
General MBA, University of Otago
University previously attended Imperial College London, UK
Degree obtained MEng (Mining Engineering)
Country of origin UK
Age 41 years
Career history
With qualifications in mining engineering and significant experience in that field, Alasdair Martin felt an MBA would provide a means of consolidating that knowledge and would afford an opportunity for personal development.
Why an MBA and why at Otago?
I completed an undergraduate degree in mining engineering at Imperial College London before emigrating to Australia in 1989. There, I worked at various mines in both operational and technical roles to manager level.
I chose the Otago MBA in 2004 for three main reasons: lifestyle, location and course reputation. Prior to starting, I had spent the past four years commuting weekly to a mine in a remote part of Australia. With a young family, it was time for a change. I saw the MBA as a chance for self development and the opportunity to distil the knowledge gained through experience in my career to that point.
I looked at my options within Australasia and reviewed course rankings. I found Otago University was ranked first within New Zealand, and second only to Sydney and Melbourne in the region. Living in a large city did not appeal to me, particularly given the cost of supporting a family whilst studying full time, so Dunedin was the obvious choice. This was reinforced by the personal support I received throughout the application and admission process.
The study environment
Dunedin is truly a beautiful city. You can be walking on a beach or up in the hills within ten minutes of the city centre. There is the culture associated with a university city and the passion of rugby at the 'House of Pain', or a visit to the Speight's Brewery. For those seeking excitement, Queenstown is only three hours away, but the peace and natural beauty of the Otago Peninsula or the Catlins are closer still.
The course itself was challenging, both in terms of content and working with people of different nationalities and varied career backgrounds. The workload was fairly intense, but achievable given a degree of prioritisation and a focus on working co-operatively within syndicate groups. It took a while getting used to being back at university and the requirements for academic work, which differed from that which I had become used to. However, the overall balance was good, with a wide variety of subjects covered combined with a number of external guest lecturers and visits to local businesses.
Was it worth it?
After graduating, I returned to the mining industry, but in a much different role from previously. I was no longer based at a single operation, but was involved in more strategic analysis of both existing mines and potential future projects. The MBA has given me both the credibility and confidence to analyse complex issues in a systematic way.
As I write, I am about to start a new role as general manager of a small gold mine in Tasmania. This will involve managing all aspects of a complex operation within the context of working as part of the community and meeting the expectations of multiple stakeholders. Again, I believe the Otago MBA experience will help through an improved understanding of areas outside my previous expertise.
In summary, the Otago MBA has allowed me to enhance my career options and opportunities whilst studying in one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
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