When Mitzi Arnott started looking for a job in office administration, she realised that there was a skill gap she needed to fill.
“I had studied business administration, but when I looked at job vacancies, I noticed that many of them required experience in accounting,” she said
Undeterred, Mitzi decided to enrol in the New Zealand Certificate in Accounting Support Services with Ara Institute of Canterbury. As a solo mum with no family in New Zealand, she chose to study online via eCampus NZ.
“Studying online means I can work on my study whenever I have time. The only option for me is before my daughter gets up, so I wake up at five in the morning to study,” she said.
Her perseverance quickly paid off; she was offered a job soon after she enrolled in the programme.
“I had a volunteer job, but as soon as I started studying, I was offered a job as an office manager. Everything just came right,” she said.
She credits her new workplace for helping her to juggle work, study, and childcare.
“They are very understanding. They let me work during school hours and I can work from home if my daughter is sick,” she said.
She has enjoyed working through the programme and will complete her final course this month.
“The course materials are broken down step by step, so everything makes sense,” she said.
But her highlight has been seeing her daughter’s response to her decision to study.
“She looks up to me, and she knows she can do anything too,” she said.