Christian Hampson

I work in the Office of Environment and Heritage as the Regional Manager in the heritage division, which covers not just aboriginal heritage but all aspects of heritage. Currently I’m working on an initiative called Heritage Near Me which is working with local communities and government to manage heritage at the local level. 

 

I’ve been a senior manager for a while but haven’t moved to the executive level so I had been looking at MBAs and other opportunities. I thought the BBA looked like a great opportunity to start on that path but also to network and meet other Indigenous people from around Australia. 

 

The first semester was really good, the faculty’s been fantastic, very supportive. It’s challenging obviously with the work-like balance, but I think the challenge is going to be worth it. I think the cohort network, especially for Indigenous students is a fantastic support mechanism. We all know each other very well now, so that’s been great. The way the lecturers have been engaged with the group has been fantastic – they’ve basically become friends of ours, and we’ve really developed a strong bond with them.

 

The coursework is challenging, but very practical and relevant. Because of my job as a manager already I’m able to bring things I learn back into my workplace. That’s what I like about it – it’s relevant to what I’m doing now and where I want to be in the future. 

 

I think the thing that I like the most is that it’s actually like an undergraduate version of an MBA. You learn multiple disciplines and how they interact. I’ve got a goal of moving straight into one of the MBA streams when I complete the undergraduate degree, and I’ve talked to the faculty about that, so that’s my motivation – to walk away after four and a half years with an MBA.

 

I’ve thought about how I might contribute to assisting indigenous businesses to becoming more effective. I think there are some fantastic ideas and opportunities in indigenous communities, but the skills to actually see them through to fruition and put that social benefit into communities is not there at the moment. Obviously I’d like to advance my career, but I’d also like to be able to make that contribution to my community. 
 

If you’re a person that wants to challenge yourself to do something for your community, but also has the motivation to learn new skills, then do this degree. It’s challenging, but I think the great thing about the Business School is that if you’re prepared to work, you will get this degree because of the support there.