Hello, my name is Maribel and I come from Peru. For a long time, I wanted to study a postgraduate degree in a different and beautiful country, but it was not a simple decision for me as I knew, I would not be able to see my family and friends as I was used to doing in my home country.
I finally convinced myself though, and thankfully have no regrets! I am challenging myself, learning a lot from great professionals and having fun while experiencing this beautiful country, Australia.
I was working as a Marketing Specialist and Graphic Designer back home, but I was always curious to learn coding and technology. Therefore, I went to Sydney to study a Diploma in Web Development, and decided to go further than this, so I started to research universities that met my expectations.
CQUniversity provides a major in Mobile Application Development for graduates with no IT background and is accredited by ACS, which is suitable for me and makes me rely on the university.
It was a very difficult decision to make, as I considered it a challenging course. Fortunately, this is how I ended up enrolling in the Master of Information Technology and I am happy to have chosen a major in Mobile Application Development at the beautiful CQUniversity campus in Rockhampton!
The course has been challenging for me. There is a considerable amount of time to invest in the tutorial classes and weekly guides, so it is a good idea to enhance how organised you can be and start preparing even before classes start.
Learning code and business can be difficult, but the university offers plenty of support through counselling and an international advisor who always has time to give me advice about my career.
I am glad to have learnt new skills and strategies to help me with my future! After I graduate, I am interested in applying for a job as a web developer and designer.
CQUniversity is considered one of the best 2% of universities worldwide, which allows me to be more competitive in my home country or anywhere else in the world!
I have been living in Rockhampton since last year, and it has been absolutely worth it.
The campus is lovely and provides all the facilities I need. I spend a lot of time studying in the library, which provides extensive staff and un-staffed hours to study whenever I would like.
Here is a glimpse of the Rockhampton North campus.
One of the reasons I chose Rockhampton, is because the university main campus is located in Rockhampton.
I believed it was a good opportunity to move here because it is relatively cheaper and quieter than other cities, which are good features to choose a place to study. The beaches around are beautiful to enjoy the on weekends as well.
When I first arrived, I found a temporary job as a Graphic Designer for five months, which I really enjoyed! I am currently working part-time in the hospitality industry and enjoy it as well.
The Rockhampton campus is a nice place to enjoy various events throughout the year, such as, the outdoor cinema, festivals, parties, lunch with friends and free yoga, which makes it easy to unwind while preparing for exams!
I have made friends from Nigeria, China, India, Colombia and Australia. I really enjoy being surrounded by different nationalities and cultures.
Thanks to CQUni, I am looking forward to finishing soon, and putting all the new skills and knowledge I have gained into action as I continue my journey!
My advice to future students:
- Study before classes start, it can be difficult, but will help a lot!
- Keep doing the weekly tutorials every day, practice every day, and have some fun. It is more enjoyable this way.
- Rockhampton is a good place to choose to study as is peacefully surrounded by beautiful beaches and rent cheaper than other cities.
- If you choose Rockhampton, consider buying a small cheap car.
Places I like to go on weekends:
- Yeppoon
- Cooee Bay
- Emu Park
Best restaurants and cafes:
- The Bird Cage on campus at Uni
- The Two Professors
- The BoatHouse in the city
Find out more about CQUniversity’s Student Support.
Enjoyed this? You might enjoy Australia Awards Scholarship recipient Shivaali’s story who is also studying in Rockhampton, or European student Sara’s story who recently graduated from the Bachelor of Accounting at our Melbourne campus.
