Tayla Carson

“I knew that Waikato had one of the top management schools in New Zealand; but I never expected that I’d end up studying business after my science degree,” says Tayla Carson (Ngapuhi, Ngatokimatawhaorua).

Tayla’s grandad – who owns a large business in Matamata – persuaded her to give it a go, and she’s so glad she took his advice.

“Yes, I would definitely recommend doing the Master of Business and Management (MBM) at Waikato. It’s just one year of full-time study to to gain invaluable business experience, and it will help you move up the career ladder once you’re in the workforce,” says Tayla.

“The 15 papers give you an understanding of all the different areas that are vital for running an effective business. You get a taste of economics, strategic management, finance, law, communications, leadership, marketing, and much more. We’ve also learnt about emotional intelligence, decision-making and supply chain management.”

“I really enjoyed the global business paper, because the lecturer was so passionate. The way he explained some of the key ideas through real-life case studies was great.”

As part of the course, Tayla completed a one-month business internship with Vertical Horizonz Group in Tauranga, where she was tasked with investigating customer satisfaction. She then had to write a business report about her findings, and provide recommendations for action.

“The MBM course has given me more confidence as a person, and taught me some valuable soft skills, such as critical analysis, leading people and delegating tasks, time management and public speaking.”

“For the first few weeks, I thought, what the heck have I got myself into? I was terrified of public speaking, and every single paper has at least one group presentation in it. But I’m so glad that I didn’t walk away.”

“I even gained the confidence to speak to some of New Zealand’s top CEOs as part of the Dragons Den competition towards the end of the course."

One of the most memorable aspects of the Waikato MBM is the unique cultural/social experience that it offers, she says.

“I like the fact that you’re learning with the same group of people throughout the whole year, because it gives you more opportunities to make friendships, and we’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

“I’ve enjoyed meeting so many international students; through the discussions we’ve had in class, it has brought a new cultural and global perspective to my outlook on life. And I know that if I ever decide to travel to China or India, I have a friend to stay with wherever I go.”

“I wouldn’t change my MBM experience for anything. It’s just one year, and it’ll change your life! The course is much more practical and relevant than I thought it would be. Everything you learn in class, you can see it happening every day in real life.”

Tayla had her first job lined up before she had even graduated from the MBM, working as a resource consent manager for Invercargill City Council.

Since then she's lived and worked overseas in the Netherlands for a year, returned home during the Covid-19 pandemic and moved to Nelson, and then started a new job as a senior planner at Landmark Lile Ltd, a resource management consulting company.