Customer improvement manager

"I've always been intrigued as to why some countries are more developed than others, especially after I came to New Zealand and realised the enormous social differences compared to my home country of Guatemala. My postgraduate research focused on the extractive institutions in Guatemala and their impact on the country's inequality.

"Any person with a social conscience will find Development Studies a very appealing subject. It covers such a broad variety of topics like human rights, poverty alleviation, health, economics and environment and all of them have the same goal of improving the conditions in less developed societies.

"I must confess that I was concerned about returning to the University after a 15-year absence. Nonetheless, once I started attending classes, I felt confident again. The enthusiastic discussions in the classroom reinforced my decision to return to study and the lecturers were very supportive. Being a postgraduate subject only, my fellow Development Studies students had all a strong commitment to learn and succeed in class.

"Studying part-time allowed me to continue to working as a Customer improvement manager for Fonterra. Every day I put into practice the research and writing skills I've gained from study to identify areas of improvement and provide efficient solutions to our customers. Development Studies increases your social awareness, which is a skill that can definitely be applied in any field.

"It is never is too late to go back to University and pursue your dreams. The investment in time and money definitely pays off. Being a postgraduate student has been an outstanding experience."