Gayathri Guruge

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Management

Sri Lanka

Graduate Gayathri Guruge says she built connections inside and outside the classroom during her time at OPAIC.

Gayathri comes from a finance background. She completed a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance at the University of London and has about three years’ experience working in the field.

She decided she wanted to pursue higher studies, then selected OPAIC for her postgraduate qualification after looking into a number of countries.

Her programme at OPAIC wasn’t just about theory, but about how to apply the theory. All of the evaluations and assignments focused on application.

“I did enjoy it. It was more than I expected,” says Gayathri.

She had a lot of choice in terms of subjects. The subjects she selected included Corporate Governance and Leadership, Financial Decision Making, Capabilities for Managers, Marketing in a Digital Age, and Managing for Sustainability.

All of those subjects were relevant for her future career: “I think it was a very good course.”

She also completed an internship at MediaWorks during her time at OPAIC. That was a “golden opportunity”, which introduced her to the New Zealand finance industry and opened the door for job opportunities.

Gayathri finished her course last December and already has a job as a junior accountant at Berit Holdings.

Gayathri says she feels very lucky to live in New Zealand.

‘I’m so thankful to myself for selecting this country in the first place because I like New Zealand a lot – the warmth of the people, the cultural diversity.”

One of the best parts about being in New Zealand is building connections, according to Gayathri.

At OPAIC she built connections beyond the classroom which would positively impact her career, she says.

Read all about the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Management here.