Tahl Lawrence

With a background in civil engineering, Tahl Lawrence was “itching to continue learning and add to my skillset,” when he decided to sign up for the MBA programme at Waikato.

“If I was going to study, I wanted to make it count," he says. “For me it wasn’t about moving up ranks; it was about extending myself to lift my outlook personally and professionally."

"I arrived with a fairly well-rounded skillset, and the MBA has complemented this brilliantly, building on my transferable skills. I’m pretty excited about what the future holds for me.”

Tahl says a highlight of Waikato’s MBA programme has been meeting and working with some amazing people from a diverse range of backgrounds and industries, which really brings classroom discussions alive.

While it’s been a challenge to give up so much personal time with friends and family, he firmly believes the MBA has been a good investment of his time and money.

“It gives you the tools to make some great choices in your career, and some great decisions in business. The majority of lecturers are business consultants who are well-known in their field of expertise, meaning the content is credible and very relevant. It can be put straight into practice in the real world.”

He also really enjoyed the MBA study tour to China, which opened his eyes to New Zealand-China business opportunities.

During his studies Tahl achieved top marks in his class and was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for academic excellence. He ended up completing his MBA with Distinction.

“I would certainly recommend it to anyone in business or looking to develop their skills across a broad range of relevant topics,” he says. “Completing the full MBA is a big step, but for those with leadership aspirations, I don't think you can beat it for both real-world exposure and professional credibility."

Since then Tahl has made some exciting career changes, moving from local government into the private sector.

After a one-year stint as General Manager of a Waikato-based start-up company, Tahl decided to take the plunge and launch his own business consultancy, MXK Group Ltd.

He says it combines his MBA with his engineering background "to get amongst some really exciting and rewarding stuff".