Three primary school friends graduate from UniSQ accounting degree together
Knowing each other since year 4, three primary school friends have now graduated university together. Take a look at some of UniSQ’s recent graduates:
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Graduating alongside two friends that he has known since primary school made it even more exciting for Hugh Goodwin to finish his accounting degree.
Studying in the same accounting class in year 10 Mr Goodwin, Jackson Reimers and Blake Erbacher all went on to graduate with an accounting degree at University of Southern Queensland on April 1.
The three boys were close friends throughout high school where they studied at Concordia Lutheran College but the three have known each other since year 4.
Mr Erbacher and Mr Goodwin both went to Concordia Lutheran Primary and Mr Reimers went to partner school Martin Luther Primary.
Mr Goodwin said he thinks their year 10 accounting teacher, Mrs Holden, would be proud of where they have ended up.
“We had such a small class so to see so many of us pursue it further would definitely make her proud,” he said.
Mr Goodwin said graduating alongside his close friends was very special.
“I know Blake’s family and I know Jackson’s family so it meant a lot more to have everyone there,” he said.
Mr Goodwin has worked at Lawson Accounting since he graduated high school and said juggling full time work and full time study was tricky.
“There were a lot of late nights,” he said.“I think it was helpful having other people that were doing similar courses.
“It definitely helped me along the way having familiar faces there and being able to relate to them.”
Mr Goodwin, who is continuing to work at Lawson Accounting, is going to continue studying so he can be a Certified Practising Accountant.
He is expecting to start his CPA course in July and study part time over the next three years.
Mr Erbacher has already started studying to become a Chartered Accountant, a course he hopes to finish in about two years.
‘Just give it a go’: UniSQ graduate’s inspiring message
It may have taken some time, but for one University of Southern Queensland graduate receiving her degree was worth the wait.
UniSQ graduates from different courses and disciplines celebrated their achievements at their graduation ceremony at the Empire on Tuesday April 1.
The average person will change careers between three and seven times in their lifetime and 50-year-old UniSQ graduate Jacqui Smith decided to take the leap and study something she loves.
For Ms Smith starting her Bachelor of Nursing degree as a ‘mature aged student’ was daunting but she said it was the best decision she’s ever made.
“I thought people would think I was silly for going back to uni,” she said.
“I had this trepidation that people would think ‘what am I doing here because I’m so old’, but it actually didn’t make a difference.”
Ms Smith said the fear of being too old should not stop people from chasing their dreams.
“I didn’t want to get to the end and think ‘I wish I had tried that’,” she said.
“Don’t think, just give it a go. I don’t have any regrets.”
After spending years in different industries, from doing the odd office job, trying out a TAFE course, teaching kids to swim, and raising her family, Ms Smith started working in aged care ten years ago.
Spending some time in the industry she said she wanted to be able to do more, and she could do that by studying to become a nurse.
“When I started in the aged care industry I really loved it and watching the other nurses working, it was really inspiring,” she said.
“The job requires so much caring and empathy and I just felt that it was for me.”
The mother of three had her entire family come out to support her at her graduation on Tuesday.
“My kids are very proud and it’s not even about them being proud but showing them to always have a go,” she said.
Ms Smith said when you study something you love the work feels so much easier and is now going on to study a Masters Degree in Nursing, which she will start in May.
“I’m really excited just to keep learning and I think if you can keep learning there’s always something out there,” she said.
Ms Smith will complete her masters part-time over the next three years while she works as a Registered Nurse at Crows Nest Aged Care.
Scroll through our galley from the two days of Apil graduations below:
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Originally published as Three primary school friends graduate from UniSQ accounting degree together
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