New UC grad puts theory into practice

Katherine is set to graduate from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) this month with an MBA that she completed over three years while working full time. 

Her final consulting project looked at the workplace readiness and employment options of adult former refugees now living in Ōtautahi Christchurch. The project was sponsored by Hagley College, which already provides programmes for former refugees.

Katherine created and concept tested a novel mentoring service that would enable them to connect with local volunteers to help build the social connections that can ultimately lead to work and other opportunities.  

Hagley College is now planning to run a pilot programme based on Katherine's work.

“I gained a huge amount from this project and felt so enriched by the people I met. The Diversity Team at the school does such incredible work in this space that goes far beyond education and into trying to meet the social needs of these students,” Katherine says.

“I think this aspect of my MBA really reflects the holistic nature of the degree because it’s not just about growing a business, it’s about looking at opportunities to grow social consciousness and ways in which we can support the communities in which we live.”

The mother of three adult children, Katherine epitomises the saying, ‘if you want something done, ask a busy person’. She completed her MBA while working full time at Health New Zealand, Te Whatu Ora as a service manager. 

While Katherine began her MBA pre-Covid, she was forced to put it on hold during the pandemic, given the enormous and relentless demands on the health sector. Although completing her degree took longer than initially anticipated, she was undaunted. 

“I had always wanted further professional and personal development. I could have undertaken hospital and health management papers, but I felt it would be a good idea to broaden my experience and world view.

“For me, the MBA was a real melting pot of ideas and experiences. Most students had been in the workforce for some time, and we all wanted to learn more. People were very generous in the way they shared their thinking, and their life and work experiences.”

In the workplace, Katherine is already reaping the benefits of her MBA studies.

“It’s given me an array of tools I can utilise from a project perspective and when interacting with others. It’s not just theory. When you’re doing your assignments, you can directly integrate your work experience with your studies. You’re bringing your own experience to it and putting what you’re learning directly back into the workplace.”