The College sat down with Profs graduate Arsha Begum who is currently the IBP Regional Integration Manager at Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited to ask her about her experiences.

Q: As a graduate of the College’s Profs Programme, can you comment on how you found the programme?

I found the programme very practical and informative. I learn by doing so this programme was perfect for me as it was hands on, with group interaction and multiple interactive workshops. The aspect that appealed to me the most was the fact that lectures were embedded with activities to really help you understand the theory and give you the ability to practice your newly learned skills.

Q. Were the lecturers helpful?

The lecturers were well informed and very helpful, they knew how to apply theory to real life. What I liked the most was the fact that they bought their own work experiences to the classroom, all of their experiences the good and the bad. 

Q. Was the progamme useful and  have applied your learning since?

The programme was extremely useful. I am not a practicing lawyer but I have used the skills I have learned in my current cooperate career, from the writing skills to the negotiation skills.

Q: Since then, where has your career taken you? (In other words, what roles and route did you take to go from College of Law to your current role?)

I have moved from an Improvement Manager to an IBP Regional Integration Manager since finishing my profs. The skills I learnt from this course have been very useful and helpful for my career.  I took the route of a non-practicing lawyer, I decided to use the skills I learnt to build my corporate career as it was applicable and helped me strengthen areas I wasn’t that strong in. Both the lecturers and programme were set up in such a way to help me do this. 

Q: In your current role, what would you regard as a highlight? What’s the most challenging aspect?

My biggest highlight is working in our regional offices in Middle East, Amsterdam, China and Singapore. I got to work with different cultures, learn different ways of working and embed new programmes of work to help improve processes. The biggest challenge was getting alignment across the regions given the different cultures and ways of working based on that culture. 

Q: What advice would you give for new and aspiring lawyers inspired by your role and achievements?

Do what your passionate about and what makes you happy and success will follow.