Hi, my name is Michael McCarron and I am in my second year of studying the Bachelor of Digital Media, minoring in graphic design and interactive media.
I started studying at CQUniversity Australia because my partner and I had just moved to Brisbane for her work as she had just obtained a Graduate Position at Royal Brisbane Hospital as registered Nurse. For me this was a huge change as I had never lived out of home and away from the beach. It gave me a lot of time to think about my future. I discovered the Bachelor of Digital Media and I felt it suited me perfectly, as I had a background in photography. The year before, I had completed a Diploma of Management which provided a pathway into University so it paid off. I applied for the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation – Young Technologist Scholarship and to my disbelief, I was shortlisted and interviewed. I was quite anxious at the time, however was extremely overwhelmed when I read the email saying that I’d been successful.
Studying by distance education is really great because there are no structured times which I need to attend classes (which I like) and I am free to study whenever or wherever I choose (provided I complete the assessment on-time). However, I did change to on-campus for the sole purpose of getting face-to-face teachings in coding, as this was pretty hard for me and I felt I would learn better face-to-face. Making the transition was really easy and I was able to study by distance when I chose. With the help of the scholarship I’ve been able to set up myself to be able to study from home, buy a laptop, all of my textbooks and other study materials.
The best thing about my course so far has been being able to study what I am really passionate about (give or take a couple of subjects). The networking opportunities have also been fantastic and I have established good relationships with some peers and teachers. I am really looking forward to the third year as I have a chance to do an internship and a collaborative project for an industry client – which is incredibly exciting!
Looking back at my achievements and what I’ve been able to accomplish, I feel really proud of myself when I get a good mark for an assignment. I’m looking forward to taking the step into work and establishing my career.
For those thinking about applying for the 2017 Westpac Bicentennial Foundation – Young Technologists Scholarship, I’d say:
Do it, you won’t regret it
Upon receiving the Scholarship, I was fortunate to attend the Westpac Scholars Summit and it was unreal! Everyone who attended was truly awe inspiring and it was great to be apart of the Westpac Scholars Alumni program. With access to mentors and a growing network of like-minded people, Westpac really are working hard to ensure Australia’s future is bright, and I’m very humbled to be apart of it.
For more information regarding the 2017 Westpac Bicentennial Foundation – Young Technologists Scholarship, please visit the CQUni website. Applications close Sunday, 6 November.
