18 June, 2019

A double diploma graduate has credited TAFE NSW with giving her the “competitive edge” in a variety of industry sectors, ranging from architecture to civil engineering and law.

Engadine local, Marinsa Vlok, who recently graduated with a double Diploma of Leadership and Management, and Marketing and Communication with TAFE Digital said, “When I decided to upskill and refresh my previous studies after 20 years, I wanted to do it with a well-known organisation like TAFE NSW with nationally accredited qualifications. I needed to ensure that the curricula were not only current, but leading edge, and addressed business requirements over a number of industry sectors to broaden my career opportunities.”

Studying online was critical to Ms Vlok completing both diplomas. “I was able to undertake research, join cyber classes and study at my own pace from the comfort of my own home, while maintaining a hectic work schedule,” she said. “Teachers were also readily available to give advice with one-on-one communication and gave me the heads-up on which study materials to use, valuable online conferencing sessions to attend and even YouTube tutorials to research for assignments.”

Working for well-known Sydney-based organisations such as CUBIC Architects, WSP Civil Engineering, Ashurst Law, Arup Design and currently Dentons Law Firm has stood Ms Vlok in good stead. “I am a business development and marketing consultant at Dentons and I find the forward thinking content of particular units useful in my every day work environment,” she said.

Examples of practices Ms Vlok has been able to incorporate into projects she is working on is change management and organisational development initiatives. “Emotional intelligence to build and establish great rapport with partners, key stakeholders and the wider team is very important,” she said. “Added to that knowledge is a deeper understanding of their particular challenges, which enables me to adapt my workflow and deliverables more productively.”

Marketing research and analysis is also high on Ms Vlok’s agenda. “I’m continually working on introducing new products and services to give the firm a competitive advantage,” she said. “Once I have the buy-in from stakeholders, I manage the production of marketing collateral to create targeted, high profile awareness of our unique offerings. Social media and the effective use of evolving platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube are initiatives I’m continually looking to improve.”

Preparing, submitting and managing outcomes of proposals has been key to Ms Vlok’s success. “The thrill of being a successful bidder after an often long and drawn-out tender process is fantastic and makes the arduous efforts so worthwhile,” she said. “Team rapport is continually strengthened by amplifying our wins.”

To find out more about TAFE Digital’s hundreds of courses, please visit https://www.tafensw.edu.au/digital

Media contact: Bonny Gunn, TAFE Media Business Partner. M: 0417 134 048