It’s hardly surprising that Business student Aiza Qaisar has her sights on an international career. She was born in Australia to parents who arrived here from Pakistan, then moved to Singapore for her school years before returning home to continue her education in Sydney.
She remembers a ‘Management of Business’ unit she studied at high school helping her decide her future direction. She says, “That subject really pushed me towards business and made me want to learn more about it. Until then, I didn’t know there were so many aspects – like HR, management, finance, accounting and everything. I was really surprised. People say, ‘business is business,’ but there’s so much more to learn. I hope to do something in international business. It’s always intrigued me how other countries work together – the way multinational companies operate.”
UTS College looked like the way in
From the start, her dream university was UTS. “I heard a lot from friends who had studied business there. They said the teachers were really good, that they really helped you and made sure you understood everything. I thought ‘okay, I want to do that.’ I was drawn to it for quality teachers, the structure of the courses, and the student-centred approach. When I found the Diploma of Business at UTS College, it looked like my way in,” she says.
Aiza says her older brother, who is in the final stages of an engineering degree, was a big help to her. “He did the whole uni thing before me and he guided me with the admission and all that,” she says. “He reminded me that even if I start with a diploma, I’ll be done at the same time as if I went straight into the degree. That helped me feel more patient about it all.”
It was the right choice
Having now gained entry to second year of Bachelor of Business at UTS, Aiza is satisfied that she’s made the right choice. She says UTS College really helped her reach her academic goals. “The teachers were so supportive,” she says, “even when we were studying online. When I asked questions on the discussion platform, they would answer me right away. They told me, ‘If you don’t understand, just call and we’ll help you with it.’ So, if you need any help, there’s a whole support system there for you.”
Outstanding Graduate Award
The supportive learning environment, along with her own hard work, helped Aiza succeed beyond her own expectations. She graduated with the highest Grade-Point-Average in her diploma group, winning the Outstanding Graduate Award for the Diploma of Business. “That was definitely out of the blue,” she says. “When I found out, I told my entire family. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I got top marks!’ We were so excited, and we had a nice dinner in the city to celebrate. Just the five of us – my parents, my brother, my sister, and me.”
Exciting as the prize was, Aiza says the best part being assured of her place at UTS. “It’s a sigh of relief, honestly. I’ve been planning this for a really long time, so know that I got here feels great. I’m just so excited about going straight into second year.”
Gaining confidence and leadership skills
Her experiences at UTS College have helped Aiza enter her degree with increased confidence. There were opportunities to develop her leadership skills throughout her diploma, which she says were extremely valuable. “When I was the leader for group assignments, giving out roles and delegating, it really opened my eyes about how leaders do their work and how groups function.”
Aiza also joined the Student Advisory Group (SAG), a network of student representatives who work with staff and the wider community to shape the future of UTS College. She says, “I worked with other business students, helping find ways to improve their experience studying online or on campus. It was interesting because everyone has different views, and I think benefited as a leader from understanding that.”