Lewis Edmond

Master of Applied Finance student

When Lewis Edmond decided that he wanted to switch careers from science to finance, he chose the Master of Applied Finance to help him achieve his goal.

“I had done undergraduate study in neuroscience at another university but wanted to make the switch to finance. My university didn’t offer any postgraduate finance options to students who hadn’t completed a bachelor’s degree in business or commerce, but when I investigated AUT I saw that they had a great option in the Master of Applied Finance.

“What I also liked about AUT is that it has an incredibly diverse group of students with respect to their ethnicity, career backgrounds, life experience etc. This has meant that I’ve learnt a lot about what different cultures value with regards to careers and learning, on top of the teachings that we get through the degree.”

A great way to upskill
Lewis says he appreciates being able to upskill in a different field in as little as one year.

“The Master of Applied Finance is a great degree as it’s compacted down into a 12-month period, whereas most master’s degrees are two years. The teaching is also targeted at gaining practical skills that can be widely used in the finance and wider business industry. This has really suited both my practical learning style and my desire to start a career in finance in the near future.

“My biggest worry coming into this year was the imposter syndrome feeling of being someone with little to no finance background learning and trying to apply for jobs in finance. My lecturers and AUT have been great in exposing me to seminars, guest speakers and other career opportunities to ensure I’ll be in a good shape to enter the workforce.”

There is one achievement throughout his studies he is particularly proud of.

“I gained top of my class in the course on financial management in my first semester, which I was really proud of, especially since I had had very limited exposure to finance before I began the degree.”

Highly recommended
Expecting to complete his master’s degree in early 2024, Lewis has some great advice for other students.

“My advice is to investigate the Master of Applied Finance and the other postgraduate options that AUT has on offer. It has been a great programme in terms of my professional development, and the degree from AUT has been highly regarded by employers and potential employers.

“I’d definitely recommend this degree, and I have actually already recommended it to a friend who studied project management in Dunedin and wants to enter into a finance career. He has since applied to study at AUT in 2024.”

Lewis has already achieved his goal to change careers and has secured a role as an analyst at a wealth management firm. He says he is looking forward to applying what he has learnt throughout his master’s degree in his new role.