15 September 2004 'Real World' Application of Study Has Appeal

With a third of his Bachelor of Commerce and Management degree now wrapped up, Graham Black of Christchurch speaks knowledgeably and appreciatively of the role that Lincoln University's Regional Education programme is playing in his career and life in general.

Graham is Field Services Manager with the Christchurch-based technology solutions company, Gen-i Limited, and he says that the workplace relevance of the papers that are building towards his degree are what makes the study particularly worthwhile.

"Papers such as Project Planning & Management, Human Resources Management and Financial Management have proved to be very relevant to my job as a manager and I like the way that all the study group tutors have 'real world' experience themselves. They know about the application of theory and the way things operate in the 'real world'.

"In fact the relevance of the Lincoln University course to the 'real world' is its best selling point, as far as I am concerned.

"I like the way that we can all learn from one another's experiences in the weekly study groups. The study groups also keep you focused on the course and are a great way of helping you self-monitor your progress."

Graham is currently doing the paper Employment Relations & Personnel Management and says that as with his other papers the flexibility of Regional Education study fits in very well with his circumstances.

As a family man and a keen recreational runner he has other commitments in his life in addition to work, but university study through Regional Education fits in with everything nicely too.

The centre for the weekly study groups is not far from Graham's central city office so after his work day he hasn't far to go. However if something crops up at work or at home and he can't get to one of those weekly sessions then there is always the special teleconferencing facility that Lincoln University has in place for those who can 't get to a study centre.

Graham is one of two staff members at Gen-i doing Lincoln University Regional Education papers. Services Manager Lance Kenworthy also confirms Graham's point about the flexibility and convenience of the Regional Education programme for those who are working.

"For me it's the flexibility and convenience that make it so attractive," he says, "especially the ability to teleconference into the Study Group when I'm out of town."