Nearly at the end of this one

It's hard to believe I am less than five months away from achieving my goal of completing a Bachelor of Business degree. I am mid-semester for three units, and have just enrolled in my final two units which commence in September. It has been hard work but I think it has been worth it.

I feel like I have developed a lot as a person, although the credit for this is not university study but the life events that have happened while I have been studying. I have taken on extra responsibility in supporting my sister, who has a few disability-related challenges in her life. I also lost my lovely 80-year-old Dad in March this year. He is survived by my beautiful Mum, who is in her seventies and on her own for the first time in over fifty years.

I was fortunate to have understanding lecturers who provided extensions when I needed them for my assessment tasks. I hope some of the work I've been doing will stick in my brain for next year, when I return to the workforce. I am starting to feel some of my appetite return for a responsible position. 

Ongoing lifelong learning will remain, but it will only be short courses from next year!

Full-time student

Since my last post twelve months ago, I've left the workforce and am now studying full-time. There were a few factors in this decision but the trigger was the unexpected resignation of my boss. My colleague Donna expressed it best, after after several changes of leadership in the past seven years she said she didn't "have another director in me", meaning she did not have the energy to go through another rinse and repeat process of adapting to the changes that inevitably come with a new leader. I realised I was exhausted as well. I'd been with the company for more than 13 years and thought about moving on several times, but each time had delayed until a new director had 'settled in'. I decided to stop being a martyr!

Since departure of Ros Holloway (after seven years as the loveliest boss ever) in Oct 2014:

• Sandra (Jan 2015)
• Wendy (Oct 2015)
• Paul (Feb 2018)
• Elizabeth (Jul 2019)
• Carol (May 2021)

In between appointments we had interim leadership. I had a go early on, in partnership with my colleague Sharon as clinical leader, in 2015 (both times). I didn't want to repeat the experience after Paul resigned in 2018, so one of the board directors, Rosie put her hand up. Retired and in her 70s bless her, she stepped in again after Elizabeth. I think it almost did her in. She thankfully remains on the board where she does a fantastic job supporting René, the latest appointment. I don't like to say that the latest leader is in for the long haul this time, but a few elements have changed - new Board Chair, new Business Manager. There seems to be a new positive dynamic which bodes well.

Am I enjoying my new-found freedom out of the workforce? You betcha! My favourite part is having more time to read and think and make sense of the world. My other favourite part is having more time to build relationships with the people I care about. 

I'm currently about a third of the way through my Business degree course - thanks to several prior learning credits from my accounting diploma. I'm taking two classes this semester - a business law unit, and a unit on the theory of work and organisation. I expect to finish the entire course by the end of 2023.

I wanted to be of service, so I'm continuing as company secretary, and doing other volunteer work for the company where I last worked - a not-for-profit community hospice. I tell people it is for selfish reasons, to avoid the gap on my resumé while I'm completing my studies! 

To be honest, right now I'm not sure where my career is headed. The thought of returning to a responsible position with a new company holds very little appeal at the moment. The only problem is financial - eventually my savings will run out, and I will have to return to the workforce.

A new course of study

I have re-discovered this blog and it is an interesting dip into the past, spanning some fifteen years! So much has happened in my work and study life since my last post, five years ago. 

A couple more changes in leadership. I think we finally have it right now, with a CEO who has a clinical background. This role has a strategic business focus and an excellent person in the position.

A couple of changes to my role. I am now the Business Manager and 2IC. I also took on the role of Company Secretary in 2020, it has become a new focus for my career. I completed a Certificate in Governance for Not-for-profits in 2019 and remain an associate member of the Governance Institute of Australia.

I have just embarked upon a new course of study via Open Universities Australia, for a Bachelor of Business through the University of Tasmania. I visited Tasmania in 2018 and love the place. I liked the UTAS program, it seemed to be the only one offering an Accounting major - although I've since decided to major in Management. Thanks to my Accounting Diploma, I've been granted credit for eight units, out of a total 24. This means my part-time study is cut down to four years instead of six. 

First unit is Introduction to Economics. I have never studied this topic before, having never previously been at the right place at the right time (in my headspace as well as the school). I am enjoying the topic, and, for the moment at least, the self-discipline demanded by distance study.

Diploma Finished!

I'm a little late in posting the news here, but pleased to acknowledge that I finally completed my Accounting Diploma in December 2015. Is certainly wonderful to finally have this qualification under my belt. Particularly since it was completed in even busier circumstances at work, after the new boss resigned in October, I stepped up to the role of Acting General Manager.

We have a new General Manager now, I was not interested in applying for the position myself. I am back to my permanent role of Administration Manager. Presently on three weeks leave, quite burnt out! I have suggested to the GM that we have a review and overhaul of admin positions, particularly mine, which is possibly more senior than it has to be. At this stage I'm not sure if this is wishful thinking on my part though, wanting to get back to the type of work I prefer and relinquishing a bit of the extra responsibility I've taken on over the last couple of years, while our leadership has been in rather a state of flux.

Further study.. well in late February this year I enrolled into a Cert IV Training course, delivered entirely online. However it seems this was a little premature.. I've done very little of the course work, it has been so very busy in my job and I've run out of energy for study (or anything else). I'm hoping to build up the reserves again during the next few weeks break.

Update for 2014

Well it has been a little quiet here on this blog during the year, rather quiet on the study front as well. I'm so pleased to have met all my study goals in 2013, I began the new year with only three units left of my diploma course. Sadly those three units remain at the end of 2014.

I had to re-enrol with OTEN, paying full course fees, which gave me until February 2016 to complete the course. This extra time made it only too easy to allow my job to draw all of my focus and attention away from study. There was an intense period at work in the first three months, preparing for our four year accreditation. Then in the months following we had several key people resign, which lead to a staff restructure. I took on a new position as Admin Manager with increased part-time hours. In reality it is a busy full-time position but budget constraints make it part-time, which means a lot of unpaid personal time has been given to the role. All of this left no energy for study.

There are three days left of the year and in the past few days off work I have established a new study routine which I shall endeavour to get me through the final three units. My goal is to complete these by the end of June 2015. My job will continue to be busy, especially with another Enterprise Bargaining process about to start. This year my diploma study takes priority in my own time.

After the diploma?

Possibly a little premature to be thinking about what I want to do after completing the diploma - I have six units to go. By the end of the year I hope to have only three units left, so the end really is in sight.

I've joined a Facebook group with others studying their diploma of accounting, and someone asked what we plan on doing with our diploma once we've finished - is a degree the next step. It was interesting to read the responses, since a lot of people gave their background to what lead to doing the diploma in the first place. Most people are doing it for career advancement. I'm a little different I guess.

I graduated to the bookkeeping, payroll and BAS at work, without formal quals but with a 15 year background in banking and admin work. Have since completed a couple of Cert III subjects - bookkeeping and HR, and the end is in sight with this Diploma. I love my present job and workplace, and I'm not studying for the job opportunities, but for professional development in my current position.

I've been toying with the idea of studying for degree eventually.. but it's a big commitment and I don't really need the quals. Plus life is too short and I want to get away from textbooks for a while! I'll probably continue with the shorter courses that help me in my present work, rather than go the whole way with a degree.

Diploma update

Study has been very productive, I've been getting good marks and enjoying the work. I'm more than halfway through the course, close to completing another two units very soon, with a final six to go.

Implement and maintain internal control procedures 

Establish and maintain accounting information systems 

Provide management accounting information 

Provide financial and business performance information 

Provide financial reports for corporate entities 

 Interpret and use financial statistics and tools

Although I only enrolled in March I am trying to complete as much as I can before the end of the year. My NSW-based provider OTEN, has changed its policy on interstate students and I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish through OTEN or have to transfer to a TAFE here in Queensland.

Diploma underway

Signed up with OTEN last month, and so far I've applied for and been granted RPL in seven subjects. This leaves eleven units remaining. Setting myself a steady pace and taking my time. Would be great to complete in twelve months, but I'm not going to push myself.

The unit I'm working on at the moment is Prepare Financial Reports, working from a text by Clarke - Accounting: An introduction to principles and practice. I went with the digital edition since I don't like having a ton of textbooks to dispose of at the end of the course. Unfortunately there's some problems with the text, some of it is illegible, but the publisher has reported they are working on the problem.

I'm backtracking some of the earlier chapters off my reading list, to review the material - since a lot of it is background to this unit, but covered in one of the units I was granted credit for. I actually did a phone interview for that one, completely unexpected and off the cuff. Wasn't too happy with my performance, my interviewer said she thought I was about 90% competent. I felt I knew the material but expressed some of my responses poorly. She passed me but warned me I'd probably need to do this background reading to progress further with the course. So I'm doing it.

Some additional reading will include a couple of web sites I've visited in the past, including AccountingCoach.com which is quite an impressive resource, although US based (which isn't really a huge problem since accounting standards in Australia are based on the International standards).

The job share situation is still going well, although I've adjusted the spread of my hours over four days instead of three. This allows my partner and I to work together one afternoon a week, but it's taking a little getting used to - I really liked having a block of four days off each week. I'm hoping this sacrifice (!) will help improve our communication. I've not been entirely satisfied with our handovers, I would like us both to talk more to each other about our work. We seem to be very similar in the way we work - head down and get stuck into it, rather than talk about it. Just going to have to practice this.

Accounting

Love it when a plan comes together... a few months ago, in a performance review discussion with my boss, we plotted a succession plan for my position. I offered to split my hours in a job share arrangement and my boss agreed. We set a timeframe, and we recruited and my new job share partner started in early October, just a few weeks outside the original target date. Which I find kind of impressive, knowing how these things sometimes drag out.

So now I'm working three days a week (because management kindly agreed not only to the job share arrangement, but also to slightly increasing the hours for my position) which makes room for other things, like study. And now that the crazy time of year is over - end of year financial audit, annual general meeting, not to mention negotiation of new enterprise agreement - I am free to pursue my new study goals.

It has been nearly five years since I took on my current finance role, which has grown almost as much as I have. I've completed two work-related Cert IV courses and it is time now to upgrade to a Diploma.

Have looked at a couple of the delivery options. Thought of doing the whole thing from scratch (with a few credits from my Cert IV), but have decided to explore the RPL route. If I can get away with only having to complete a couple of gap subjects it will be worthwhile, particularly since it can be partially funded through Smart Skilling Queensland (frankly I'm amazed this funding is still available, given all the other cuts this year).

Forms have been sent off to TAFE, now waiting to hear back from an assessor. Fingers crossed.

Finished

Red letter day - my trainer signed off on my Cert IV HR today. Finally finished!

HR update

The end is in sight! Just finishing off the assessment task for two units, then only one unit left to go, it's good to be so close to the end. It has been very tough going, between this subject and the EB negotiations at work I'm quite convinced against a HR career. Sticking with finance.

Internet studies update

I discovered a little while ago (probably 12 mths or more) that the degree course I'd started has undergone a restructure and a name change - it is now Bachelor of Arts (Internet Communications).

On one hand I think it would be nice oneday to go back and finish the degree, although there is still a long way to go. I'd completed something like five or six units out of the required 24.

On the other hand, what do I really need it for? My interest in internet communications has waned a little, my head is full of payroll/finance/admin stuff now. I'm dabbling with the idea of going further into accounting studies (but a nice long break first).

Hmm. Don't know. I'm hoping the five or six units I did wont go to waste, maybe applicable for credit transfer if I don't leave it too long.

Cert IV HR update

I think last year I hit a wall after signing up for this course, as I haven't got very far with it. I managed to get credits for a couple of units completed in my last subject. I've completed one of the units and put in some work for another, but have really been dragging the chain. I made enquiries about throwing in the towel, but I'm committed financially. My trainer said she refuses to let me quit! she met me the other day to see what I could shortcut through RPL. That maybe another two units. She encouraged me to use real life examples instead of the assessment exercises from the text if it is any easier (it is). So I'm a little more hopeful about getting this finished.

Holidays coming up towards the end of July, as well as a Cert IV workshop where my trainer will be. I'm aiming to finish off the easy units, get the RPL paperwork ready for her to certify me.

Will be glad when it's finished. Intend to have a good long break before the next course.

Went and did sumfing stoopid

Was so keen to do it a few months ago, went and signed up for it, now I can't really be fagged to get stuck into my Cert IV Human Resources Management course. Why oh why did I do it? My zeal for work-related study is lately exhausted. Will I never get back to my Internet Studies??

Finished bookkeeping

Ok, ok.. it took a little longer than I anticipated, so many MYOB assignments! and I got sidetracked by things at work.. like audit, annual general meeting, and the draft enterprise bargaining agreement.. but I'm so happy to say right now, it's done it's done!

A deadly boring subject the last unit – occupational health and safety, my eyes glaze over just hearing the title. But yay I’ve finished! What a relief.