Satyen Desai

Satyen Desai spent his childhood in India and then Bahrain, before moving to Wellington where he went to high school with star All Black Tana Umaga.

His parents wanted him to go into dentistry or medicine, but Satyen chose to study for a Bachelor of Technology (Information Engineering) at Massey University in Palmerston North. It's a decision he's been thankful for ever since.

Now, at 27, he's working as a Tower Delivery Manager for IBM in Melbourne, owns three properties, has had several promotions, earns a healthy salary and is on the international career fast track. With primary focus on delivery, his current role includes Customer Satisfaction, Project Management, Financial Management, Contract Management and SLA Measurements.

"My best career move was to choose the right course in the first place complimented by the fabulous lecturers and support staff. Their commitment to their students provided us with diverse and well thought out content. This laid the crux for our careers and prepared us for the marketplace. My sister is now studying at uni in Melbourne and I see a lot of graduates at work and when I compare what they receive with the education I had - it just seems bland and dry. They didn't get the personal touch and they just don't have the passion and sense of ambition that university gave me. I imagine it's even worse in the States."

"The biggest gift my education gave me is the ability to be able to control my own career. I drive my career and what I put in is what I get out. You know, when I left university in New Zealand, I felt that I could have walked into most organisations and picked up a job and run with it. They'd given us such a broad set of skills/tools which will be with me forever, in all facets of life."