Work and Study

I have been really busy at the moment with working and studying. I have just resigned from my job as a bookkeeper at the factory working for Eastern Engineering. After some pretty unpleasant working conditions I decided it was time to move on. Even though there were lots of things I didn't like about the factory and my boss, I loved the work and it gave me a path back into the workforce after not working for three years. Over the years I have had over 29 jobs however this is only the forth time I have ever resigned from a position. Most of my jobs were with the Victorian Public Service where I worked from 1983 to 1998. I worked my way up from a mail and photocopy clerk with the Plumbers Board to working in various accounts departments and finally working Policy and Review Officer where I was responsible for writing policies & procedures, staff training manuals and conducted training sessions for finance and disability staff all over the state. I left the government in 1998 applying for and receiving a voluntary redundancy package. Since then I have worked in a wide variety of industries as a bookkeeper working through an agency. Most of the jobs were short term assignments and a few were meant to be 'temporary three month' assignments but somehow I managed to stay with the companies for 12 months at a time.

While working at the factory I have also been working 4 hours a week as a bookkeeper with Geoffrey Bassett from Computer Trouble Shooters. Just before I resigned Geoffrey asked me if I would be interested in working more hours for him. I am now employed by Computer Trouble Shooters for three afternoons (9 hours) a week plus will be responsible for taking all the calls for booking and following up computer repairs. Everything about this job is so much better than the factory, the staff, the environment and even the location being walking distance from home.

I left school in 1980 after completing Tertiary Orientation Program (HSC equivalent) at Swinburne Institute of Technology. In 1981 I enrolled in the Advanced Diploma of Accounting at Swinburne however deferred and for a variety of reasons including starting full time work with the Public Service I never went back however it was always something that I've had in the back of my mind that I wanted to do.

When I left the government I was unable to work due illness. One day I saw a brochure on correspondence courses at RMIT and found that they ran courses by correspondence so in January 1999 I enrolled in the Advanced Diploma of Business Accounting completing my first two subjects with High Distinctions. I studied with RMIT until June 2001 when the correspondence department closed and continued my course enrolling to study at the Swinburne Croydon Off-Campus unit.

It seemed like I would never finish my course as most semesters I only studies one or two subjects however in June 2003 I received my Diploma of Business (Accounting). It was pretty exciting to have actually achieved part of the qualification I had set out to achieve in 1999. I have continued on with studying to complete my Advanced Diploma and am now studying part time on-campus. I enjoy the contact with the tutors and other students in class and can see an end in sight with only four subjects to complete. I am only studying one subject this semester as I still have to sit an exam and complete an assignment from a subject I did last semester.

My aim is to complete my Advanced Diploma in Accounting by the time I'm 50 so at 47 years old now I am well on the way to achieving that goal.

As well as studying for my Advanced Diploma in 2005/2006 I also completed a Certificate 111 in Business Administration by correspondence gaining the highest grade in all subjects.

Working both jobs for the past two weeks as well as studying for my exam on Thursday night (11th September) I have been pretty busy trying to get everything done. I am really looking forward to finishing up at the factory at 1pm on Thursday. I'm not looking forward to my exam - it's on on company consolidations - lots of formula and processes to remember but hopefully I'll be able to do enough to scrap a pass.