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Emma built on her experience in the property industry so she could shape urban forms and achieve positive social outcomes.

I worked in property finance for ten years before going back to study, so I have a good understanding of the property development industry. Although I had a good job, , I started to feel like I wanted expand my knowledge base so I could use my skills to influence the urban form and achieve social change. I saw some synergy between my professional experience and urban planning, so I hope to combine the two in my future career.

In the workplace, it’s really easy to get caught up in the way things are, and we really need creative people who can challenge the status quo. Postgraduate study broadens your mind and allows you to think about things in different ways, which you can’t always do when you are busy with work and life.

Urban planning inspires me to think differently about the built environment and believe change is possible.

RMIT has a great reputation in the field, and the lecturers have real-world industry experience. Students are offered flexible study through online courses, which was a must for me, given that I have a young family. I’ve found the discussions really inspiring and the online platform to be a productive way of learning. I’ve learnt to research widely, and I’ve picked up the technological skills to research effectively and express my ideas more efficiently. I’ve also developed the skills to think critically and draw connections between topics.

For people who have been in the workplace for a long time already, I would really encourage them to undertake further study.