Another way into UTS
You’ll most likely find Agou Agou on the basketball court, in the gym or practising his favourite songs on the tenor saxophone, which he taught himself to play in just three weeks.
At 188cm tall, his gaze is clear and focused – he’s passionate about sport and motivated to achieve.
Inspired by his soccer idols – Paul Pogba who has captained the French team and Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s greatest player – Agou wants to be the best he can be, on and off the field.
He loves watching and playing sport - soccer, basketball, wrestling and futsal are all part of his passion. When the World Cup is on, he’ll be up all night watching TV, yet still manages to make it into uni the next day. “It was worth it,” he grins as he analyses the defensive game the French team played in the finals. “It was effortless – it was like they didn’t want to take it too seriously.”
The path hasn’t always been easy. Agou moved to Sydney in 2005 from South Sudan at the age of six. As the oldest of seven children, at 19 years of age he participates in family responsibilities, looking after his younger siblings and contributing to the household.
Agou Agou would like to be an accountant and investment banker
Schooling has been a challenge at times. At the end of Year 11 when he started the HSC, he didn’t have all the study resources and books he needed, making do by sharing notes. Yet it took a visit to see relatives back in South Sudan in 2015 to remind him of how far he had come. The realities of life there were confronting - no running tap water, electricity supplied by a generator which only had the capacity to operate three hours a day, relentless heat and limited food.
Agou is now preparing for a career in finance and accounting to work his way into a strong financial position. “I want to have a prosperous future,” he says.
Studying a Diploma of Business at UTS College, the pathway to UTS, Agou is now an effective and independent learner. This independence is like mastering the playbook. “I’ve got my textbooks, I’ve got my laptop. I know how to research things and take notes. I can also ask the teacher what types of things I should research.”
He’s feeling on top of the world with his studies so far. “Last semester was really good – it felt like a breeze. I worked hard in class and completed my homework early,” he says.
That means there’s plenty of time for the next sporting match as well.
Agou Agou
Another way into UTS