Student Q&A: Luke Rundell

Luke Rundell is currently an Asset Inspector at Electrix and as part of their Leadership and Development Program, he was recognised as a potential future leader and was chosen by the company to undertake the certificate-level Project Management course with Upskilled.

He completed the course in less than 12 months, with online study giving him flexibility to work around his schedule. In this Q&A. we learn about Luke's experience with the course and how completing the course has helped him achieve his professional goals.

You recently completed the Project Management course as part of Electrix’s Leadership and Development Program at an accelerated pace. Could you tell us more about the program and why there was a focus on project management?

The program was established by the Electrix management team with the support of our HR department to select and develop potential future leaders at the company. A mentor was assigned to each participant in the program.

Between the Mentor, mentee and the HR representative, we sat down and discussed what path I wanted my career to head in, what strengths and skills I had, and what additional skills and/or qualifications would be mutually beneficial for myself and the company. I had already completed  Leadership and Management qualification. Project management was another course I felt would benefit me and my desired career path.

What motivated you to complete the course so quickly?

I’ve had an interest in Project management since I was in High School and wanted to use the skills I’ve gained from this course in my current job, so it was all very relevant and necessary, which made it easy to find the motivation. I also wanted to show the organisation I was capable and committed enough to get it completed efficiently. You also never know when a position might become available that this qualification could be considered relevant for. 

Could you tell us what your role is at Electrix and a brief description on what you do?

I am an Asset Inspector at Electrix. We are responsible for inspecting and assessing the condition of our clients power poles, pole tops, conductors, services and street lighting. The decisions we make and the information we provide is used by our client to develop their maintenance programs.

What benefits do you believe has come from completing the course?

It's very early to tell, but I think the BSB41515 - Certificate IV in Project Management was a fantastic introduction into the principles of Project Management and provided me with enough knowledge and ideas to be able to step into a role as a leader of a team or project. I now have an understanding of the concept of project scope, some of the methods used to monitor and maintain a project, as well as manage meetings and my own time. 

How did you balance work with online study?  

Work was day and study was night. I’d come home from work, spend time with my two young kids (5 & 2) until they went to bed and then I’d sit down and make a start on the course. It wasn’t unusual to be up until near midnight working on it. Once I started and the ball was rolling, I just wanted to keep going. I stepped away from it for a while over the Christmas period. Working away from home for a while also freed up some nights to be quite productive. 

What aspects of the course did you enjoy and why?

Any aspect of the course that I could imagine using in the type of role that I wanted to go into was probably the most enjoyable part of the course because it wasn’t a chore to learn it - it was something I wanted to know. The time and risk management units were certainly two of the more interesting units because I knew the information was going to be incredibly useful. 

What do you believe are important skills to have in project management? 

It’s important to have good time management skills in order to be able to multi-task and complete activities on time. You need to be well organised in order to keep track of the tasks required to be completed and manage yours and sometimes other people's roles. Being a good communicator is also important to ensure others have all the information they require to achieve their goals and objectives.

Looking at your short and long-term goals, do you think completing the course has helped you work towards achieving them? 

The course was certainly a big part of my short-term goals. In order to move forward, I wanted to commit to personal development, so as I was in the best position I could be for any available roles I wanted to apply for in the future. Any knowledge and skills gained can play a part in guiding my career and the studies I have completed have also convinced me to continue to look into more courses that I think will benefit me.

Want to study Project Management with a flexible delivery? 

Upskilled's project management courses are self-paced and can be completed online. If you're a parent juggling work like Luke and are thinking about further study, you have the benefit of studying online without having to compromise your work and other personal commitments. Start your project management course search and see what career outcomes you can achieve.