UCOL Manawatū Graduate Realises His Accounting Dream

Christopher Adams journey to becoming an accountant was far from straightforward – he pretty much drove all over the motu before arriving at UCOL.

Christopher Adams is among the 2236 students graduating across UCOL campuses

The father of two has come a long way. After Palmerston North Boys' High School, he became a truck driver working for Crown Relocations, Waste Management, and Mainfreight. However, he always remembered his first love and enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Management (Accounting) at UCOL as an adult student.

For Christopher, UCOL was always the right choice. "With a degree such as mine, you aim to do your best, and you aim to outperform everyone else. UCOL's equipped with everything needed to get you to that point," he says.

While studying at UCOL, Christopher was awarded the Andrew Cliff Scholarship. This scholarship is aimed at rewarding a student who has demonstrated a willingness to support and aid others with their course of study. "I felt an overwhelming sense of worth. It was an acknowledgement of the hard work I had put in and the support I'd provided to my peers." Christopher says the kind words that his lecturer, Andrew Mock, said when he won the prize, "took my confidence sky-high".

The Accounting course included a work placement at Queen Elizabeth College (QEC), where he received "exceptional guidance and mentorship" from the Executive Officer, Lesley Fail. "Not only did it develop my practical skills and knowledge, but it also helped me to communicate professionally. By the end of the placement, I had recommended a change in QEC's petty cash policy.”

Christopher is currently working as a Assistant Auditor at Audit New Zealand. "Working for Audit New Zealand is a massive opportunity for me to forge my future, and I credit this to UCOL and my other professional relationships," he says. Accounting is now Christopher's dream. "I have the 'why not me' attitude, so why not to becoming the Auditor General, the Minister of Finance or even running a successful accounting firm - time will tell," he adds.

Another goal that is really close to Christopher’s heart is to become a Justice of Peace. "Everyone wants to do good and often cannot identify how. I will find the how, and I will make a difference to as many people as possible," he explains.

Christopher is among the 2236 students graduating across UCOL campuses. Due to the Traffic Light System, UCOL will be celebrating graduation a little differently this year. Students will be collecting their graduation parchments from UCOL campuses. They will get an opportunity to have a small celebration with their family and friends, including hiring graduation gowns and taking professional photographs. Graduation parchment collection days are as follows:

Horowhenua: Thursday, 25 March 2022

Wairarapa: Monday, 28 March 2022

Manawatū: Wednesday, 6 April 2022

Whanganui: Friday, 8 April 2022

Background:

UCOL Ltd is part of Te Pūkenga, New Zealand’s largest tertiary education provider, and globally, the 30th largest provider of vocational education. Together, we aim to provide excellent quality education opportunities that support learners, employers and communities to gain the skills, knowledge and capabilities Aotearoa needs now and for the future.

Across the country, approximately 280,000 people are participating in some form of vocational education and training, supported by about 10,000 full time staff.

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